Releasing the Dragon
by Justice Tokidoki
Summary: Aang has been really stressed out. Besides the war meetings and the uprisings happening within the fire nation, he also has to deal with the powerful dragon trapped inside his body. Post Series. ON HIATUS
1. A Peaceful Death

**Hey everybody! I am finally posting up a story! Yeah! (Drum is banging in the distance) Anyway, I still have school right now and Finals but I will update as much as I can, and I WILL FINISH THIS STORY. I won't just leave you hanging and then suddenly stop writing because I hate it when I read other stories and then the author just stops writing and never finishes. So I am going to try extra hard not to do that to you guys! Now on with the story!**

**Aang: *ahem* Justice333 does not own Avatar: The last airbender or any of the following characters that appear in this story (Except for Shen and the rest of the LL PHOENIX troop. They are OCs). The characters belong to nickelodeon and other sources.**

**(Aang bows respectfully. Justice333 cheers and claps!)**

A peaceful Death

_~~~~3 months after the defeat of Firelord Ozai~~~~~_

Deep within the sun warrior village the chief and the people celebrate the defeat of the ruthless leader of the fire nation. Festivities are being planned and the people are happy and safe. As the people celebrate, the Sun Chief walked over to the caves to see the masters who gave the people such wisdom and knowledge.

The Sun Chief wanted to tell the masters about the glorious new changes happening for the village. For the first time in decades the Sun Warrior village was ready to share its knowledge about fire to the rest of the world. Now the whole fire nation would discover the true form of fire, not to use it in anger or rage but as a way of energy and life. Now that the Avatar had defeated the Firelord, the Sun Chief assumed that it would be safe to let the two masters (who were dragons) come out into the world. They would be safe and not have to worry about being hunted anymore.

Soon the Sun Chief reached the two mountains where large steps took one closer to the two caves where the dragons dwelled. The steps were very steep. They were made this way long ago according to belief that whoever went up the steps would immediately tremble and trip, a special sign that they were not worthy to see the masters. The Sun Chief went up these steps with ease and soon reached the point at which the two caves opened up.

The Chief then took out a small horn and blew into it softly. The sound of the horn sent small shockwaves into the air as the ground shivered with fear. This was the call, the call that would bring out the two last living dragons for judgment. The sound traveled really far, sending small tremors in some palm trees in a beach close to the area. After a few moments the air soon went back to its peaceful flow. The area became quiet once more.

_How strange. The masters should have come by now..._ The Sun Chief glanced briefly at the two caves. Both seemed hollow and barren as if they had been empty for a while. The Chief scrunched up his eyebrows and prepared to blow the horn again. Before he could take in a breath, he suddenly tensed up. He sensed movement near his right side. The Chief pulled out his staff. He quickly spun around and aimed a low strike close to his own feet. A man tripped near the Chief and collapsed to the ground.

"What are you doing here? This place is sacred." the Chief replied coolly as the stranger rose to his feet.

The man was dressed up all in black and had a flowing gold cape that caught the sunlight at weird intricate angles. The man also had on a golden mask which had red glowing orbs for eyes and silver white quills coming out of the top. The man had also had a strange birdlike symbol that seemed to fly out amongst the ashes that was centered in the blackness surrounding the man's chest. The man's stance seemed silly to the chief. It resembled a bird taking flight.

"I am Shen, leader of LL Phoenix, and we have come to destroy this village starting with the dragons that live in these caves." The man replied, his tone just as cold as the Chief's.

"What! How foolish of you to think that we would stand by and let you overrun this place! You will not get to the masters. The time of dragon hunting is over and now that your Firelord has been defeated you truly have no use for conquering this village." The chief positioned himself right in front of Shen. "I won't allow you to come any further. Leave at once."

Shen smiled slowly. "I think you are the one being foolish. How about you take a look around so you can fully see the situation you have made for yourself."

The Chief was shocked to discover that he was surrounded. More men came out from the caves sharing the same symbols as Shen, but not having very elaborate outfits as was the case with their leader. Each had thin long staffs with feathers sprouting here and there along the stems. The Chief would have laughed at the sights if he hadn't been too busy trying to figure out a way to escape. It was a small group of about twenty, but of course this was only one person against all. _Slightly overwhelming odds,_ the Chief thought bitterly.

Shen smiled again, though this time it looked very nasty and cruel. "So where are they? Where are your masters? We can avoid all of this as long as you comply smoothly. Heck, I'll even avoid your village if you tell me where the dragons are. Not such a bad price when you think about it. The rest of the world doesn't even know they exist so what's the trouble of ending the line for good? It really seems like such a waste to protect something that is so isolated."

"Well, if you think it's so worthless why hunt them? The fire nation doesn't practice that tradition any more. You really don't expect to be seen as a higher authority figure just for killing a dragon, do you? The world views things differently now. The Avatar would never let you get away with it."

The Chief said this all very calmly, as if he were talking about the weather. He was not afraid of Shen or the other men. He was very angry that they had found out about the dragons though. That was a secret only the Avatar, Aang, knew along with the new Firelord, Zuko, and his uncle, Iroh. Those people had sworn not to tell a soul about the dragons or the village, but somehow the news must have gotten out.

Shen sighed briefly. "You obviously don't understand the matter at hand here. I do not want to be respected. I want to be feared. No one has ever killed two dragons at once. This will make our group well known and soon the fire nation will come back to all its glory, ruled by the PHOENIX KING!"

The men surrounding the Chief whooped and cheered at Shen's wisdom while Shen bowed respectfully to his team. The Chief resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

"Now, enough with the pleasantries. You will tell us where the dragons are," Shen said while sharpening his own feathered up weapon. The Chief noticed that there appeared to be something black on the tip of Shen's staff.

The Chief squared his shoulders. "You obviously know what my answer will be. That is why you have brought a group to ambush me. But if you must know the answer..."

There was a long pause as the Chief tried to decide how he should respond. The sharp slashing of metal caused the Chief to be aware that the rest of the men were sharpening their staffs as well.

"...I have no idea where they are," the Chief replied.

The men said nothing as Shen stared at the Chief. The silence lasted long enough to be considered awkward as some of the men started coughing lightly. Finally, Shen started walking towards the Chief. He quickly stabbed the Chief's right foot. The Chief immediately fell to the ground as the poison from the staff slowly caused his right foot to become paralyzed. None of the men moved as Shen tilted the vulnerable leader's head up so he could stare into the man's eyes.

"Oh, don't worry. We've already found them." Shen said this as he looked up into the sky and saw two dragons circling each other above the two mountains.

Shen quickly pulled out his staff from the Chief's leg and started shouting out orders. "Don't lose sight of them! You over there hold the Chief over the edge, but don't let go of him just yet. Perhaps these masters will take pity on him and come for a rescue. Then we will strike!"

The men shouted loudly as they all started to become more excited. Each of them wanted a chance to strike the powerful beasts. Shen lifted the Chief and started to walk to the edge of the cliffs. He smiled. _Soon I will have all the respect that I deserve. Everyone will soon know to fear the LL Phoenix._

The dragons noticed the Sun Chief's dangling body. They were greatly puzzled. This sort of thing didn't happen here. The blue dragon looked at the Chief with great pity while the red dragon stared on in indifference.

The blue dragon started to descend lower towards the cliffs. The red dragon tried to block the blue dragon but the blue dragon was quicker. The Blue dragon was now directly above the Chief's body. It seemed for a while that the only beings in the area were the blue dragon and Shen as they stared each other down. Then Shen spoke.

"ATTACK!"

The men immediately started throwing their spears at the blue dragon, but the spears were quickly destroyed as they got doused in rainbow colored fire. Most of the men shied away from the dragon, but Shen continued to attack, blasting himself up into the air by shooting fire out of his palms.

Now Shen and the blue dragon were battling in the air, exchanging blow after blow. There was fire shooting everywhere.

In the commotion, the LL Phoenix group forgot about the Chief's body. Luckily, the red dragon caught the Chief before he could crash into the ground. The red dragon stared at Shen. The dragon's eyes were blazing as a huge amount of fire poured out of its mouth and into the air.

Shen dodged the fire successfully, bumping into the blue dragon. Shen was still holding his poisoned tipped spear as he stabbed the blue dragon in the heart. The dragon wailed and thrashed wildly, flicking its tail which sent Shen flying into the mountain. The blue dragon continued to wail and screech as it flew away to the little beach close to the area. The red dragon chased after the blue dragon, still carrying the body of the Sun Chief.

Shen fell roughly to the ground as his men swarmed all over him to access the damage. Shen stood up and swiftly punched the man closest to him.

"What was that? How come I'm the only one fighting? You worthless morons! Next time I better see some more action from you guys!" The men stumbled over themselves as they mumbled their assent.

"Now who saw where the dragons went?" Shen replied in a bored voice as he brushed his arm in a spot where a bruise was forming.

Shen's second in command, Jack, responded. "They're headed towards the beach sir."

"Well don't just stand there. Let's finish them off!" Shen and the other men ran down the steps shouting their motto, "LONG LIVE THE PHOENIX KING!"

Presently, the two dragons were on the sand close to the coast of the beach. The blue dragon was wheezing and squirming. His death seemed to be approaching. Before the blue dragon could cough up his last breath, it stared at the red dragon in fierce agony. _GO!_ His eyes said as the dragon breathed out for the final time.

The red dragon roared defiantly, the sound echoing of the water menacingly.

The Chief watched the dragons with much grief. He hated what he was about to say but he breathed out, "You should go. We…must…protect your species. You are the only one who can show us the full meaning of…fire now..." The Chief blacked out then, falling beside the blue dragon on the sand.

The red dragon howled in desperation as it flew away from the blue dragon and the Chief's unconscious body. The dragon flew around blindly, roaring every now and then.

So much sadness, so much anger, all rolled into one boundless grief. The dragon flew wildly seemingly going in no direction at all. But nothing mattered to the dragon now. Her perfect half was gone. The dragon continued to move wildly as it began to slowly approach the fire nation palace.

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><p><strong>Well, there's chapter one. Sorry if it's confusing or long, but I had to set up some background. The next chapter will be all about Aang who is currently in the fire nation right now. To clear some information, the beginning of this story took place in the Sun Warrior village (You know the place that Aang and Zuko visited in the episode <strong>**The Firebending Masters**** ) Anyway, please review! This is my first story ever on this sight so it would be nice if there are no flames. I do like constructed criticism though. I'll try to make the next chapter longer if you guys liked it. REVIEW!**

**PEACE!**

**Last Edit: June 28 2012**


	2. All In a Day's Work

**Yay! Another chapter is up! Please read and review! It's what keeps me going.**

**Me: Since Zuko is in this chapter, he will do the disclaimer!**

**Zuko: Avatar: the last airbender doesn't belong to Justice333...do we really have to do this every time?**

**Me: Yep, but don't worry! I have many other people that can do the disclaimer!**

**(Justice333 knocks down a crate full of cabbages.)**

**Cabbage Man: MY CABBAGES! You're gonna pay for this!**

**Me: Um, enjoy the story everyone!**

**(Justice333 runs away as the cabbage man chases after her. Zuko sighs.)**

All in a Day's Work

_~~~~Imperial Fire Nation Palace~~~~~_

Aang woke up to the sound of birds chirping and pecking against his window sill. Aang yawned as he moved his head to stare at the ceiling. He really didn't want to wake up. But he had a job to do and he wasn't going to neglect his responsibilities.

_Still, a couple more minutes would have been nice._ Aang leaned into his bed and sighed longingly. _If only I didn't have a meeting today..._

Suddenly a bell started ringing within the palace causing Aang to jump and nearly crash into the ceiling. Oh, how he hated that bell. _If only there was an easier way to wake up,_ Aang thought bitterly.

Hesitantly, Aang rose and stood up on his two aching feet. It was hard for him to believe that he could be this sore from one training lesson. Even harder to fathom was the fact that he had another one today as well. Aang groaned as he moved his way to the mirror to wash his face. What he saw in the mirror was a tired, disheveled young boy with unruly black locks that swept everywhere over his blank, deep grey eyes. _Man, I must be exhausted. I almost don't recognize myself._

Aang attentively lifted his long hair up so he could see the dark blue arrow tattoo located at his forehead. He smiled sadly. There was no time to feel sorry for himself. Being the Avatar, He must do what's right for the world's sake. He had to pull himself together in time for the meeting.

Aang slowly started to put on his ceremonial robe. It had a creamy yellow color along with some earthy brown and red tones. These were the colors that were associated with the Air Nomad nation and their sacred art called airbending.

Aang took one last long look at the mirror. He smiled slowly. There was no reason to get worked up over this. He was going to attend the meeting and behave the way a fully-realized Avatar should. Aang puffed up his chest and walked out of his bedroom.

Aang's room was located at the top floor of the grand mansion. He requested the room because it provided an easy way for him to reach the roof, which was a perfect spot for meditating. Aang had been going into the spirit world a lot more lately. He had to get advice from his past lives, the previous avatars, so that he could do a better job reconstructing the post-war world (along with Fire Lord Zuko). Aang wanted to make sure he did everything perfectly. He may be young, but it was his job to keep balance and peace between all the nations.

Aang headed down the stairs into the living room of the castle. As he walked in he found Fire Lord Zuko sitting on the couch. Fire Lord Zuko was a very young man for his position. At age 17, he was the new ruler of the Fire Nation. He had dark brown hair and vibrant amber eyes that sometimes appeared to be brown depending on the light. His complexion was very fair and his body was well toned and lean. He was a very excellent firebender who was close to becoming a master.

Zuko looked up when he saw Aang enter the room. He smiled lightly. "Hey, you're up early. How are you feeling? You're not getting sick on me are you?".

Aang face relaxed a little more at the comment. "I'm fine. But, you don't need to worry about me. How are you feeling?"

Zuko shrugged. "Same as usual. I've got a really nasty headache going on right now, but it's nothing."

He chuckled despite himself. He always thought that Aang acted older then he should, especially now with all the war meetings. _Jeez, he's nearly 13 now_...Zuko recalled.

"Well, I'm glad you're feeling well, because we have an important meeting with General Shino of the Earth Kingdom. Apparently, there is some new hate group trying to force people to rebel against the new government."

Aang looked at Zuko blankly. There was nothing but confusion in his dark grey eyes.

"I don't understand. A new government?"

"Yes. We want to change the amount of power certain authorities have in our society like the wardens at Boiling Rock to name a few."

Aang felt a shiver go down his spine. The Boiling Rock was one of the Fire Nation's most brutal prisons. Only a truly evil and dangerous person was considered low enough to go there. Now that Zuko had become the ruler, most of the prisoners had been evacuated. There were only a few prisoners that were dangerous enough to be there: The former Fire lord, Ozai, and Zuko's sadistic sister, Azula.

"I see, but what does that have to do with seeing General Shino?"

Zuko sighed while holding up some parchments beside his seat. "It appears this group isn't only targeting the citizens of the fire nation. They have terrorized many people in some major Earth Kingdom cities as well. The group is trying to spread out and expand its resources all over the world. We may be dealing with another global conflict if we don't stop the uprising soon." Zuko shifted in his seat, becoming painfully aware of Aang's silence.

When Aang finally spoke his voice was almost unfamiliar to himself as it was to Zuko. "How long have you known about this?" Aang had meant to say it in a calm matter but his question came out sounding more cold than anything else.

"It's very recent news. The group really isn't as big as I make it sound. General Shino is just making a big deal out of it. He isn't really accepting of the fire nation or its citizens at the moment. I, of course, don't blame him for that. We have a long road ahead of us before the world becomes forgiving of the crimes the fire nation has committed." Zuko said this very quickly, hoping Aang would drop the subject.

"Zuko, I need to know!"

Zuko looked away as he mumbled, "About a month."

Zuko hated the fact that he waited so long to tell Aang, but Zuko knew it was for the best. He didn't want Aang to become too stressed, it would damage his health. After all, Aang was still a kid, even if he did beat the strongest firebender in the world.

Zuko nearly jumped as Aang got right in his face, shouting, "How could you do such a thing! You've known all this time and you wait until **NOW** **TO TELL ME!**"

Zuko looked at Aang warily. "Aang, I didn't want to burden you with it. This really isn't a problem that concerns you. I am the ruler of the Fire Nation! It's my job to deal with these issues. If General Shino hadn't requested your presence, then I wouldn't have told you about the meeting at all. You're just there to help keep the peace. It would make the General feel more comfortable, that's all."

Aang sat on the floor and crushed his hands on top of his head. It looked like he was going to pull his hair out. Zuko shook Aang repeatedly.

"Hey, don't do that! Aang! Aang listen to me! You don't need to get so worked up about it. I know it seems bad to you, but my forces have taken care of the uprising for the most part. We just need to explain it to the General so that he doesn't start a war!"

Aang glared at Zuko. "You don't get it. I'm the AVATAR. It's my duty to keep the four nations intact. How am I supposed to do that when you won't tell me about the rebellions?"

Zuko turned away from Aang and started looking back at his parchments. "Like I said, Aang, you don't need to worry about this. These groups are very small and I've already taken care of their areas for the most part. I just have to attend this meeting because General Shino is exaggerating the facts."

Aang slowly sat up and tried to calm himself, taking slow shallow breaths. After a few moments he started breathing regularly and sighed as he settled his body onto the couch.

"Zuko, promise me you will tell me next time."

Zuko looked into Aang's dark grey eyes and saw no compromise in them.

"Fine..."

Aang bowed his head, finally relaxing his body as a servant walked into the living room.

"The Avatar and the Fire Lord are requested in the meeting room," the servant said.

_~~~~~~Meeting Room~~~~~_

Zuko briefly explained to Aang about the rebellions as they walked over to the meeting room, which was located on the other side of the palace.

"So these groups are mainly located in the fire nation, but some are in Ba Sing Se?"

Zuko nodded. "Yeah, most of the groups are just angry fire nation citizens who want Ozai to be back in power. But some seem to be a part of an organized resistance. It's very hard to decide whether they are working together or not. Most seem to be doing their own thing."

"So the groups mainly consist of angry trouble makers then?"

"If you mean a bunch of lunatics who want to turn the nation over to one of the most cruel and sadistic leaders on earth, then yeah. You can simplify it as such."

As Aang and Zuko entered the meeting room they noticed that General Shino was already there waiting for them.

"It is a pleasure to meet the new Fire Lord and the Avatar in the same setting. I thank you gentlemen for following up on my request. I know you probably have more pressing matters at the moment, so I won't waste your time."

"Oh no, it's nothing. We are pleased to assist you, General. After all, we wouldn't want the world to receive false information on the matter now would we?"

Zuko said this very politely, but Aang noticed the mocking edge underneath the calm demeanor. The General didn't seem to notice.

"And you, Avatar Aang, must have some good suggestions on the issue. What do you think we can do to solve the conflicts?"

"Well, I think we first need to find out why they are fighting. If we can find out in more detail why they want Ozai back in power, we can try to persuade them back on our side. If we are going to settle this, we should do it in a very non-violent manner. The world doesn't need to see another war." Aang tried to say this in a deeper voice, hoping it would make him sound more mature.

"Well, yes that is what we all hope for Avatar Aang, but your method will probably not help in our case. The best thing we can do is build a strong army force that will crush the rebellion in one final straw. That way is much more effective and is what our case calls for."

The General smiled at his own brilliance as Aang frowned since his idea was shot down. Zuko then pulled out a black piece of paper and placed it on the table that was in the center of the room. The picture showed a golden bird which seemed to rise out of the grey ashes that were surrounding its feet.

"My sources tell me that the main group is called LL Phoenix. We don't know how many members there are, but we do know that they are very determined to bring Ozai back to the throne."

Aang's brow tightened as the General got up and began pacing around the room.

"So far we have only seen a group of ten people who are a part of this organization. Apparently, these people dress in birdlike armor and outfits that resemble a phoenix or some other type of bird. But we have only seen two sightings of this group, they don't seem very large in number or influence amongst the other rebels, but they have caused quite a racquet for being established in small fire nation cities."

"Well that makes sense. I guess that is what you can expect from a fire nation citizen these days." The General said this logically, as if he were explaining why it rains or why the sun is yellow. Zuko looked at the General with what appeared to be genuine interest, but Aang could tell he was offended by the comment.

"Excuse me general, but what do you mean by that?"

"I'm saying once a fire nation criminal always a fire nation criminal!"

"Not all fire nation citizens are like that."

"They might as well be. Not to be rude, but do you really think you can change anything? It doesn't matter that you are the new Fire Lord. The fire nation will always remain a nation of evil unless we use force to guide it back to its rightful place in this world."

Zuko growled. "I am doing the best I can to govern this nation! No, I don't expect a miracle in three months but I at least need your support in telling the world that the fire nation is not your enemy anymore. Your feelings of prejudice will only show the world that we haven't changed and that is the opposite of what I am going for!"

"You dare call me prejudiced after what your people have done to this world! Nearly wiping out the Southern Water tribe while trying to lead a massacre of all benders except for all that was in your nation! You sir are no more than a blind, foolish hypocrite!" The General was speaking so loudly that Aang thought his ears were going to pop.

Zuko glared at the General as he positioned himself into a fighting stance, his hands outstretched, palms pointed at the General. The General also positioned himself into a stance, crouching as his arms were facing upward and downwards while his elbows remained bent. Before either of them could throw the first blow, Aang stepped in between them.

"I will not allow this! What chance does the world have if you two can't cooperate? The war would have been for nothing if you guys fight so freely!"

Zuko and the General remained tense for awhile, staring each other down. Finally, they relaxed and settled into standing positions. Zuko held his hand out and the General met his hand with some reluctance.

"Perhaps we should continue this talk later. I think I need some time too...cool off I guess." Zuko said this with a smile, but Aang could tell it was totally fake.

"Yes, we shall continue this discussion some other time. It was nice to meet you, Avatar Aang." The General replied. Then he was escorted out by some servants that had entered the room.

Zuko and Aang then walked back towards the living room of the palace, Zuko grumbling the entire time.

"That was bull!" Zuko said, snarling now that the General wasn't there.

"Come on Zuko, we have to stay focused. We should be thinking of ways to stop the growth of the LL Phoenix group and prevent them from terrorizing the Earth Kingdom cities."

Zuko huffed lightly as they entered the living room. He then groaned as he sat on the couch.

The young Avatar remained standing as he rubbed his forehead. He grimaced. Aang hated getting headaches, but he especially hated getting them when feeling exhausted. The shouting match at the meeting didn't really help.

"I'm going upstairs to meditate." Aang replied dully.

"Don't think this changes anything! We still have to train in an hour!" was Zuko's only reply.

Aang scowled briefly. He knew Zuko was trying to help, but his training sessions were extremely intense. Aang also could tell that it would be much worse this time due to Zuko's foul mood. Aang rubbed his legs as the soreness from yesterday's workout started to resurface.

"Fine," Aang replied as he headed up the stairs.

Aang walked into his bedroom and immediately headed for the window that was barred shut with metal. The metal was positioned in a way so that only a bender could open and close the window, a metal bender that is. Luckily for Aang, he was able to pick up some techniques from his friend, Toph. Despite being blind, she was an amazing earth bender and metal bender. Aang would almost have called her a master except for the fact that, technically, she was too young to have the title.

Aang took off his ceremonial robes quickly, leaving his chest bare, as he climbed up the window and stared out on top of the roof. The palace had an amazing view of the surrounding city. Almost all the shops and homes could be recognized and identified. In some ways Aang thought this view helped him remember the responsibilities he had to these people and others around the world. It was a good spot to meditate, and Aang was going to meditate right now. He knew he would need more advice on how he was supposed to deal with the new rebel groups on the rise.

Aang slowly sat down into a lotus position and pressed his knuckles against each other, waiting patiently. Aang's tattoos began to glow a bright white color replacing the light blues as his eyes started to glow. The airbender's pulse sped up slightly as his muscles tightened and his strength increased.

Aang was almost in the Avatar state when a red dragon came by flying out of control. It appeared to be mad as it streaked through the sky shooting nearly as fast as lightning as it zipped back and forth closer and closer to the palace roof. Aang couldn't hear the dragon though, since he was almost completely in the avatar state and was about to descend into the spirit world. Aang was almost detached from his physical body when the red dragon hit him with such splitting force that Aang was brought back into his body. Bright red lights and golden sparks began to form all over Aang's body as the red dragon went **inside **Aang's form. Aang's body continued to turn into reds and yellows until the dragon's magnificent body was completely absorbed.

Throughout all this, Aang was still in the Avatar State, but once the dragon finished shifting into him, Aang dropped out of his powerful trance and fainted. His body rolled over and fell of the roof and onto the ground with a loud thud.

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><p><strong>Sorry if this chapter seemed really late, but the computer was messing up for some random reason. MY WORK GOT DELETED TWICE! Anyway, please read and review!<strong>

**Last Edit: June 29 2012**


	3. What Just Happened?

**Time for another chapter! I hope you are all enjoying the story so far! Please review if you can! It helps me write BETTER and FASTER!**

**Justice: Oh yeah, Zuko gets to do the disclaimer!**

**Zuko: But I did it last time!**

**Justice: Yep! And you will do it again!**

**Zuko: (grumbles) Justice333 doesn't own Avatar: the last Airbender...**

**Justice: That's the TRUTH!**

What Just Happened?

_Aang was screaming. His body was thrashing all over the place and sweat was beginning to form on his forehead and chest. He felt like he was burning. It hurt just to move one muscle, one simple finger. It brought on a world of agony. _"Dear Spirits, make it stop!"_Aang thought as his breathing became more hammered. _

_His lungs were starting to feel sore and his legs were kicking out as cuts seemed to form all over. Aang felt scales pricking him and thought he heard a monster roaring from somewhere far away. Aang's body began to tense up and started shaking violently. Aang squeezed his eyes shut as he felt something tapping him on the head, hammers piercing his skull. But Aang wasn't screaming anymore. He simply curled into a ball and stayed silent as the tapping continued._

**...**

"Aang! Come on wake up!"

Zuko shook Aang's body again and again, his panic rising onto the surface. So far Aang hadn't moved an inch since Zuko found his body outside on the ground near the palace. It had been close to an hour so Zuko was just about to check on Aang when a servant informed him that Aang was sleeping outside by the kitchen window.

Zuko looked at the monk's chest and saw that Aang was still breathing, but heavily. Zuko couldn't really think of anything to do, so he just started tapping Aang's head. But Aang still wasn't responding. He wasn't making any noises which made Zuko almost believe he was asleep at first.

"Darn it," Zuko muttered.

Just then a servant walked by. "Do you need some help, Lord?"

"Yeah, take him to see the physician. It looks like he had a fainting spell or something."

"I will do as you request, my lord," the servant replied. The servant then proceeded to carrying Aang's body as Zuko watched silently. Zuko then followed the servant over to the medical aide center in the palace. They asked for Judis, a well known healer in the area whose herbs cost nearly a fortune.

"Well, well. I never thought I would see the day when the Avatar would be in my office. It's a great honor to-"

"Thanks, but could you please just help him already? His condition could be serious and I don't want to waste time when he could go out at any minute!"

The doctor stuttered. "But of course, Fire Lord Zuko. Okay, let me see the boy."

The doctor looked at Aang closely, paying attention to every little detail.

"We are going to need special herbs for this one."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Zuko said.

"I sense great power in this one. It is very strong indeed."

"Well, yeah. He is the Avatar."

"Well of course. That is not the power I am referring to. I'm talking about something foreign, something new that has been introduced into the boy's body."

"What are you saying? Is he going to be okay or not?"

The doctor looked at Aang quizzically. "I..I think he's okay. Could just be the stress, poor boy pushes himself to hard. How about you leave him with me and I will call you when he wakes up."

Zuko sighed. Then he looked at Aang with tender eyes that he usually only reserved for his Uncle, Iroh. "Take care Aang. You better get better. You still have a lot more to experience in this world."

Zuko then left the doctor with a nod and started walking to the other side of the palace. He still had to do his workout routine, no matter how much he wanted to stay with Aang.

_~~~a few hours later~~~~~_

Aang slowly opened his eyes. He felt strange, almost calm despite the fact that he had been screaming a few moments ago. Or maybe he had been lying there the whole time. Aang really couldn't tell which was which at the moment. _Have I been out for a couple of days, or has it only been a few hours?_ He thought as he sat up painfully.

Aang looked at his surroundings. He was in a white T-shirt with white pants. His skin looked paler then usual and his muscles were feeling really sore at the moment. The room itself was also completely white with some office supplies here and there along with a counter that had many bowls full of weird looking plants (and other miscellaneous items).

Aang felt slightly uncomfortable being in this room. It was like the absence of color was suffocating him or something. Aang was about to get up when the doctor came back into the room. He was wearing the four ceremonial clothes from all the four nations which made him look bulky and unnatural compared to the blank and dull room.

"Hello, Avatar Aang. I see that you have finished resting now, yes? You must be quite dizzy after your fainting spell outside of the palace. I suggest you look into finding a new meditating spot, yes? The roof can be quite dangerous as we have seen today."

Aang blinked his eyes warily. "I...I was meditating?"

"Yes, don't you remember?"

Aang stared blankly at the wall as he rubbed his hands through his course, unruly black hair. He distinctly recalled feeling agony and pain all over his body but besides that his mind was drawing a blank.

"I guess I don't...How long was I out?"

"Oh, only a couple of hours. Thought it would be much longer the way your body was responding. We almost thought you were dead. Your heart rate was very slow in the beginning, but after a while it returned back to normal."

The doctor hesitantly walked closer to Aang, almost as if he didn't want to be seen talking.

He whispered, "I sensed a very strong power within you, Aang. But it wasn't yours. It was entirely foreign. How do you feel about that? Can you sense the power now?"

Aang stared at his body sharply. _A foreign power? What was that supposed to mean?_ Aang wasn't sure if he believed the doctor, but he did noticed this rather funny feeling in his back.

"Well, I don't know about power, but my back seems to be tingling a little."

The doctor looked slightly disappointed. "That's all?"

"Yep. I'm pretty sure that's it." Aang said this bluntly, wanting to change the subject.

"Well, I was just curious. Anyway, I am glad you are in better shape. You can now go see Fire Lord Zuko if you like, but come visit me again tomorrow. I just want to make sure your heart remains stable."

Aang quickly got up and started stretching his hands and legs. "Thanks. I'll try to remember that."

"Please do."

Aang walked quickly out of the medical center. He didn't really care for the doctor. Aang felt like the guy was trying to experiment on him rather than help him. As Aang entered the living room he saw a servant walking towards him.

"Fire Lord Zuko requested me to bring you to him once you were done resting."

"Okay, take me to him."

Aang followed the servant as they entered another row of stairs just across from the kitchen. Once on the second floor they headed down the hall to Zuko's grand bedroom which was almost the size of the living room. Zuko was sitting quietly by his parchments and appeared to be writing a letter when Aang and the servant entered the room.

Zuko stared up at Aang briefly before shifting his gaze back to his letter, the quill pen still moving in his hand.

"How are you feeling, and if you say fine I'll punch you in the face."

Aang's eyes grew wider at the threat.

"Well, I...I feel...sore I guess, and my stomach hurts."

Zuko stared at Aang, his amber eyes forming into slits.

"What. Happened? Don't leave any detail out."

Aang stared at the floor. He couldn't meet the angry Fire Lord's glowing eyes.

"Uh, well I sort of remember falling off the roof, and..uh...I remember feeling like I was on fire or something. It hurt really bad but now I don't feel the pain anymore, so..."

Aang couldn't continue as Zuko looked at him with fury.

"So you decided to pull a stunt to get out of training, eh? Well guess what, your trick was for nothing because we are still going to work out today."

"Are you serious! I just **FAINTED** and we are still going to **TRAIN?** You're joking right?"

Zuko smirked. "Nope."

"Aww, that is just...that is just..." Aang could barely stand still. He was so angry right now! His hands were going into fists, his jaw was tensing up, and he could feel his eyes closing into a thin line.

"THAT'S A BUNCH OF BULL!"

Aang suddenly put his hands over his mouth. He couldn't believe that he had actually said that to Zuko.

The servant in the room let out a loud gasp as Zuko himself couldn't prevent the shock from spreading over his face. _What did he just say? Did he just almost swear at me? What is wrong with him? _Zuko shook his head and gained his composure back before Aang looked at him.

"Well, it may be hell for you, but we're still going to train. You got a problem with that?"

"Zuko, I.."

"I don't want to hear it! Listen to me, Aang. What you did was childish and stupid. Do you know how worried I was? How do you think Katara, Sokka, Toph, and the others would feel if they saw you now? They would be really hurt."

Aang stared at Zuko sadly. He knew his friends would have hated seeing him act this way, especially Katara. He couldn't believe how selfish he had sounded a moment ago. Sure Zuko had accused of him of faking the faint, and that wasn't true. But he still had his responsibilities that he needed to accept for the world. A part of that falls into training, so he could truly understand and appreciate the power of bending.

"Look Aang. I know it has been rough for you now, but you can't flake out every time I make you do a training session. This is to help keep you safe. You must become a true master in all the elements so that you can use them to effectively defend yourself."

Aang sighed. "I wouldn't have been able to defeat your father if I hadn't mastered the elements, Zuko."

"You may have mastered the four elements, but you can always improve your technique. Everyone needs more practice when it comes to this, and you know it."

Aang looked up at his firebending mentor bitterly. He knew Zuko was right. Why did his body have to be so sore right now? If only Katara were here. She would have been able to use her waterbending to help his legs heal at a faster pace. Zuko wouldn't have allowed that but it was nice imagining it. Aang sighed dreamily as he remembered the last time he had seen Katara.

_~~~~Two weeks after the defeat of Fire Lord Ozai~~~~~_

_"Aang! Come on and show me the surprise already! I can't keep this blindfold on forever."_

_Aang smirked playfully. Katara only had the blindfold on for about twenty minutes, but he wasn't about to point that out._

_"Relax. We're almost there."_

_Katara giggled with excitement. She had no idea where they were going, but she knew it would be very romantic. Ever since their first kiss at the pews in the Jasmine Dragon Tea Shop, located in Ba Sing Se, Aang had been taking her out more to see many natural wonders. Some days it was a picnic at a lagoon, others it was a trip to a village they had been to before where Katara could chat with old friends. Every visit was special and warm because Aang put so much time and energy into planning these events. It was one of the things Katara loved about him._

_Despite the fact that she was older, it was easy for Katara to imagine the two of them being a couple. After all they had been through together Aang had become an important person to Katara. She loved him with all her heart and soul, but she wasn't ready to tell him that yet. She wanted to wait for the right moment now that they had time since the war was over._

_As Katara sat there daydreaming, Aang was staring at her with awe. He couldn't believe this beautiful girl was actually riding with him. He studied every aspect of her; her creamy brown skin, the long flowing dark brown hair, the ocean blue eyes hiding behind the blindfold, and those precious lips that were now in a joyful position. Aang loved Katara so much. He had already made a betrothal necklace, ready to be placed around Katara's neck, if she accepted his proposal. Aang knew that Katara was reaching the age where a woman marries or gets engaged. But he figured Katara needed a little more time to get used to their relationship before pushing it to the next level. So Aang was taking her out on small dates to keep her occupied. Then later he would find the perfect place, like a valley or waterfall, and then he would bend down to one knee and ask this wonderful person to marry him._

_Aang's smile grew at the thought. Then again, to get to that point he would have a lot more work to do. He had to get the blessing from Katara's dad. There was also the matter of telling Sokka. Aang laughed out loud as he imagined Sokka's reaction to the idea._

_"What are you laughing about?"_

_"It's nothing. Just some stuff involving Sokka."_

_Katara smiled smugly. "Yeah, my brother is something, huh? It's too bad that he is the best comedian when he isn't trying to be funny."_

_Aang laughed again followed by Katara as Appa landed softly in the middle of a small village. They were right next to a small water well (one that sprouts water up to ten feet) that was surrounded all over by glowing candles. The candle lights were reflected all over in the water and it gave the area a soft, peaceful touch that was enhanced by the silence in the clearing. The display was glowing magnificently since it was very dark out._

_"Okay, you can open your eyes now."_

_Katara stared at the beauty around her. It was very enchanting to her as the ripples ran through the large well, standing out due to the candle lights._

_"Oh, Aang. This is amazing! I love it."_

_Katara walked up to the pool, staring silently at her reflection. Aang followed her and looked into the water as well. Aang suddenly held up a small copper coin to Katara._

_"Make a wish. They say it brings good luck."_

_Katara took the coin and looked at it with longing. "Then I'll make sure this wish turns out good." She dropped the coin softly into the water. It plopped in lightly, causing ripples to form shattering Aang and Katara's reflections. The two were now staring into each other's eyes, grey into blue._

_Aang slowly leaned closer until his face was inches away from Katara's. Katara's lips parted slightly as Aang said, "I love you."_

_Before Katara could reply, Aang kissed her full on the mouth. Katara kissed Aang back as he wrapped his hand around her waist pulling her closer. They continued to kiss like that for a while before Katara broke away._

_She smiled as tears streamed down her face. "I..I love you too."_

"Aang! Hello! Are you there?" Zuko scowled as Aang stumbled, his mind quickly coming back to the present.

"I'm sorry Zuko, I..I just miss them so much."

"Yeah. But you need to stay focused. It's time to train." Zuko smirked, already guessing who Aang was thinking about.

Zuko walked away as the young airbender followed glumly. They quickly got into sweat pants and plain shirts as they walked outside into the courtyard. Zuko immediately went into a fighting stance as Aang stood there watching him.

"I'll be nice and let you pick the exercises this time. Which will it be? Target practice, run a couple miles, brawling, lightning form techniques,...any one will do. I personally don't care at the moment." Zuko was actually tired from his training session earlier, but he wasn't going to tell Aang that.

Aang decided to be a good sport and pick Zuko's favorite exercise, despite knowing he would regret it later.

"Brawling..."

Zuko smirked. "You positive? You really sure you want to do that?"

"Yep, sure as I'll ever be."

_Oh, you so asked for it,_ Zuko thought as he shot a large amount of hot, red flames from his hands.

Aang dodged the fire perfectly, firing a counterattack with his feet. The fire whip nearly tripped Zuko, but he easily brought a small wall of fire to cover his feet as the whip went past him. He then shot more fire, this time from the tips of his fingers. The fire sprayed out like small bullets and hit Aang all over his arms, causing small burns. Aang grimaced, but tried to keep his ground as he shot his hands out, spraying liquid fire that went everywhere. Except for where Zuko was standing.

Although Zuko was dodging well, he was starting to lose his energy very quickly. The flames Aang was producing were very hot and tall. The fire was spreading into many areas, and soon it was going to catch up to him. _Why did he have to pick today to be a pro?_ Zuko thought while blocking the fire that was being pushed towards him.

Meanwhile, Aang was surprised to discover that he wasn't even breaking a sweat. He didn't feel tired at all. The fire flowed from his hands and legs as if he were meant to produce it. The sensation was like his muscles were suddenly waking up from a long dream and they were firebending like they had been masters of the art all along.

As the battle continued, Zuko was starting to get slower while Aang still fought hard as if he had just started the fight a few minutes ago. Aang's fire remained big and strong while Zuko's fires were starting to get weaker and became smaller and smaller.

Finally, Zuko held his hands up in surrender. Together, Aang and Zuko calmed the fires down until there was just dark smoke drifting into the air.

"You've been holding out on me, airhead."

"No! Trust me, I have no idea how I did that! I usually get tired more easily and my firebending has never been that strong before."

Zuko chuckled darkly. "I'll say. Jeez, you're not sweating! Are you even tired at all?"

Aang rubbed his hands against his legs. "Yeah, a little bit."

Zuko grumbled unintelligibly while Aang laughed softly.

"Do me a favor. Never tell anyone about this."

"Wouldn't dream of it Zuko."

The two benders got up and entered the palace. Aang followed Zuko into the living room as Zuko practically fell into the couch.

"Before you clean yourself up, take a look at this."

Zuko handed Aang a letter that was wrapped in gold strings. Aang took the letter while staring at Zuko with one eyebrow raised.

"Since you were being such an idiot earlier I thought I should wait till tomorrow to show you. But I guess the training pays up for it."

"Looks like an invitation," Aang replied.

"Just read it."

Aang took the letter out of its binding and skimmed through it quickly. Then his face brightened into a smile.

"Sokka's getting married!"

Zuko smiled. "Yep, and we're the best mans. Next week will be heading to the North Pole."

Aang and Zuko laughed as they eagerly thought about seeing their friends once more.

* * *

><p><strong>Whew! Man that was long! Thank you to everyone who actually took their time to read this! Read and Review! (P.S. check out my brother's, King SONIC oF tHe STORY Writers, story! He just got an account recently and he is eagerly waiting for reviews!) PEACE!<strong>

**Last Edit: June 29 2012**


	4. Preparation

**Four! Enjoy! Oh, and by the way for those who are worried about the grammar, I have been trying to connect with a beta reader, but so far none have made a connection with me yet. :(**

**Aang: Don't forget the disclaimer!**

**Zuko: Don't look at me, cause I'm not doing it!**

**Justice333: Okay, okay! Avatar the last airbender doesn't belong to me, alright...(sniff)... But I do own Shen, leader of the LL Phoenix group! :D**

Preparation

Aang looked at the list again with irritation. He didn't understand why Zuko needed to get this much supplies for the wedding banquet.

"Zuko, I don't think we need to get all this. This is a water tribe wedding after all."

Zuko glared at Aang causing the young airbender to flinch slightly.

"Jeez, Aang. RELAX. I'm just doing my part for the event. See look it says here that I have to bring the food."

It had been two weeks since the wedding invitation had been sent out and Sokka had sent Aang and Zuko a list along with the invitation. Sokka and Suki wanted to have a wedding full of "international variety" by having the gang supply different elements and items from different nations. Aang was going to bring the desert by making one of his air nomad fruit pies. Zuko was going to bring the rest of the food because the fire nation had some of the best assortments of meats and other delicacies that Sokka liked. Toph was going to supply the wedding outfits (though Aang didn't really understand how since she was blind) and Katara would be in charge of the decorations.

"Look, Aang. You just worry about your pies. I'll deal with the rest, alright. Besides, you know Sokka eats like a horse."

Aang smiled instantly. "Yeah, he does."

"Speaking of which, what are you going to wear to the wedding?"

"Wasn't Toph going to do the outfits?"

"She's doing the outfits for Sokka and Suki. Everyone else wears their own clothes."

"Oh, I'll just wear my ceremonial robe. That should be good enough. Plus it goes with the airbender theme for me since I will be making the desert."

Zuko frowned. "Don't you have anything else? This is a celebration, Aang, not a meeting!"

"What's wrong with my ceremonial robe? It's the most formal thing I can think of."

Zuko sighed roughly. "Well the robe is not going to cut it."

Aang stared at Zuko closely. The powerful Fire lord had bags under his eyes and his dark course hair seemed messy. Zuko's posture suggested that the he didn't have that much sleep. As for Zuko's eyes, they looked red and dry.

Aang stopped staring and turned his head slowly. "You okay, Zuko?"

"What! Of course I'm okay! You think I'd be standing here getting you ready if I wasn't?"

"I...I was just checking..."

"Well you can stop checking and you can help me find a servant to shop for all this stuff!"

Zuko was about to stomp away when Aang grabbed his arm lightly.

"Wait. Zuko what are we supposed to do about the LL Phoenix and those other rebels? We can't just leave the fire nation if they are still around!"

Aang couldn't see Zuko's facial expression because he was turned away from him. But Aang did notice Zuko's body tensing up upon hearing his words.

"Don't worry about that. I've taken care of it. They won't be a threat while we're away."

"But, Zuko..."

Before Aang could move Zuko had him pinned to the wall, his hands held in place by Zuko's muscular ones. Zuko's face was now very close to Aang's. They both stared at each other, amber against grey.

"Listen very closely, Aang. I AM TAKING CARE OF IT. You got that?"

Aang was too afraid to speak due to Zuko's proximity. He was about to reply when he suddenly felt his energy slip away. The energy came back in a wave of heat, and Aang felt himself tense up as his body moved against his will. Aang suddenly pushed Zuko away, causing the surprised ruler to crash into the table. Zuko slowly got up as Aang fumed at him. Zuko noticed that Aang's eyes were dark yellow instead of his natural grey color.

**"Don't you dare TOUCH ME!"**Aang screamed as he breathed loudly through his mouth.

Zuko slowly raised his hands up, trying to calm Aang down. Aang was about to charge at Zuko but before he could do that his energy slipped and returned to him back in another wave of heat. Aang's eyes had returned to its deep shade of grey as he stumbled backwards, rubbing his eyes swiftly before looking back at Zuko.

"I..I'm sorry Zuko. I didn't mean to offend you, but we can't just leave the fire nation while the people suffer from these rebellions. I wasn't trying to undermine your control."

Zuko still had his hands over his head while he stared at Aang.

"You okay?" Aang asked while raising one of his eyebrows.

"Yeah, I'm just minding my boundaries. You don't have to be so sensitive. How else am I supposed to get through to that thick skull of yours?"

Zuko stomped away as Aang continued to stare at him.

A servant walked over to Aang's position.

"Don't worry, Avatar. This is Fire Lord Zuko's normal behavior. He often gets stressed out over all the problems and regulations included in his daily workload. His mood will improve in due time."

Aang sighed as he continued to stare after Zuko. "So, it's not because of me, right?"

"Oh no. The Fire Lord only had three hours of sleep last night. It has nothing to do with you."

Aang gave the servant a small smile. "Thank you."

"Anytime, Avatar."

"Oh, you don't have to call me that. Just Aang is fine."

"I'm sorry, but I can't do that, Avatar. It is simply not my place to refer to you as an equal."

Aang frowned at the statement as the servant gave him a small smile. The servant was about to walk away when his arm brushed against Aang's.

"Oh, you're burning up. I suggest you have another visit with Judis, Avatar. He has been eagerly awaiting your next appointment."

Aang mumbled something unintelligible. "I'm sure he does..."

Aang walked sullenly with the servant as he headed over to the medical center.

oooOOOooOOOOooo

"Stop staring you fool, and get over here!"

Shen frowned as the young boy ran away screaming into the village. _Young men these days don't know how to stand up for themselves. Nonbenders are even more pitiful, they can barely fight without running to hide behind something. Where is the fierce pride and strength our nation once had? If Fire Lord Ozai was in charge then it least our citizens could fight with dignity..._

Shen, leader of the LL Phoenix, was currently in the middle of a dark alley next to some of the shops in one of the villages surrounding the fire nation palace. Shen and his fellow group members were not able to find the red dragon. Instead, they had gone into hiding to prevent being captured by the imperial guards. Shen's arm was wrapped up in a sling since the bruise he had received from the blue dragon had gotten infected. His group members had recently left him after they were chased down by the royal guards. Unfortunately, for Shen, the alley was the only hiding option at the moment.

Shen sighed. This couldn't continue. The guards had been getting way more suspicious as of late. Many rebels across the country were being beaten to death for any act, even if it was just spreading controversial views to the public. Shen needed to form a new identity, which meant getting a new job. But first he needed to change his appearance.

Shen took one of the daggers in his pockets out and began to quickly shave his head. The dagger was very sharp so the process was not too difficult, though it was quite painful for Shen since he couldn't see what he was doing.

Once his head was bare, Shen now looked regretfully at his attire. The gold cape was drenched in mud as was the dark shirt and pants. His hat had gotten lost somewhere and his staff was broken. He was going to have to make new designs for his group, but that would come later. For now, he would have to get new clothes. Just as Shen was thinking this, he spotted a small shop straight across from the alley. It was not that well kept and quite broken down. There was a young man sweeping in the area, oblivious to the young kids going through the back of the shop raiding the snack pantry.

"Hmmph, look at that fool. Idiot can't even see the rascals robbing him."

Shen continued to glare at the store, his irritation growing. _Some people just don't know how to run a business, _he thought to himself. A peculiar smile formed on his face.

"I think I'll pay that young man a visit." Shen said as he pushed himself up and walked over towards the small shop.

oooOOoooOOOooo

"Hmmm. Well, it appears to me Aang, that you have a very nasty fever. Your skin is burning up a storm!"

"But I don't feel hot…"

Aang shifted uncomfortably on the stale bed in the middle of the room. He had been sitting in the same position for about an hour, and he was now starting to get tired. Aang was really starting to hate the doctor now more than ever. He felt perfectly fine, not sick in the slightest. But the doctor was still checking up on him as if he had a disease. The doctor had already asked for two blood samples and pieces of Aang's hair and nails. It was all starting to freak Aang out, but the doctor was acting like a kid who had received a well deserved present.

"I have to say that your body chemistry is amazing, Aang, even for an Avatar's according to my studies. It's completely mind blowing considering the power you possess."

The young airbender resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "Can I go now?"

"Yes, yes. After you take some herbal tea. We need to get that temperature down. Tell me Aang, are you feeling any other symptoms?"

Aang hesitated. "Well, I have been feeling more tired lately and...uh...my temper does seem to flare up more often. But it's just stress…"

"Far from it young one. Those feelings are definitely a sign of something. I haven't figured it out yet, but don't worry. This case will be solved soon enough."

The doctor's face was full of excitement as he started swiftly scrawling on a scroll of paper while Aang looked on with a sense of foreboding.

"Look, I really appreciate this, but I don't think we need to solve anything. I'M FINE."

The doctor continued writing as he briefly looked up to say, "Thank you, for your visit, Avatar Aang." Then the doctor quickly stepped out of the medical room as Aang sat up, scowling. Aang stared at the herbal tea lying on the desk. Without looking to see if the doctor was coming back, he grabbed the tea cup and quickly made a small hole in the room using earthbending. Then he carefully poured the tea into the hole and covered the hole back up while placing the cup back on the desk.

"So much for that." Aang smirked as he stepped out of the medical room.

As he walked back into the living room he spotted Zuko sitting on the couch. Aang walked over to him, preparing to talk about what had happened between them earlier, but as he got closer he realized that Zuko was sleeping. Aang smiled at Zuko, observing how peaceful the young man looked when his face was serene without anger or strictness.

"Sleep well," Aang said as he went upstairs to his bedroom.

~~~~~~~~~~_the next morning~~~~~~~~~~_

"Aang, wake up!"

Zuko stared at the young airbender who was still snoring.

"Come on, I don't have time for this!"

Zuko started shoving Aang's shoulders. He stopped almost immediately once he felt Aang's blazing skin. Zuko swore loudly, shaking his hands.

"Man! Don't tell me you have a fever!"

Zuko looked at Aang as he pondered on how to wake up the sleeping airbender. Finally, he settled for using the blankets to push Aang off the bed and onto the hard floor. Aang's body fell with a huge thump, but the young boy was still snoring away. Zuko swore again as he ran down the stairs and returned with a _very_ cold bucket of water. He threw it all at Aang and started banging the bucket around for extra measure. When the water hit Aang's body, it caused him to tense up. Then Aang slowly sat up, rubbing his eyes.

"It's about time! Do you know how long I've been up here? We're definitely going to have to train an extra hour today."

Aang turned to face Zuko. Zuko flinched as he noticed Aang's facial expression. It was completely blank, but his eyes appeared to be glowing slightly. They were dark and yellow in color, not grey.

"Aang...okay, you seriously need to quit doing that. The eyes are definitely starting to creep me out..."

Aang slowly rose up. Suddenly, Aang's fist shot forward and connected with Zuko's stomach. Zuko collapsed onto the floor in a heap, coughing. Before he could speak, Aang slammed Zuko into the wall, holding him tightly to keep the firebender from falling.

"Aang...what are you DOING?"

Aang smiled. "Pay Back."

Zuko scowled. "We don't have time for this. In case you've forgotten, we're headed for the northern water tribe today. You need to hurry up and make those pies!"

Aang shook his head. "I have to do what now?"

"Make the pies! You already made the filling right?"

Aang gasped. "The filling! Oh man!"

Aang ran down the stairs.

* * *

><p><strong>This chapter was a little harder to write. And it didn't help that my computer started messing up towards the end. Hope you guys enjoyed it though! <strong>

**Last Edit: June 29 2012**


	5. The Wedding!

**I've decided not to replace the other chapter because I really don't have much to add to it. It feels better to put it in this chapter instead.**

**Aang: You're just being lazy!**

**Justice: Hey, get back in the story!**

**Zuko: So, who's doing the disclaimer this time?**

**Justice: Um...Oh, I know! You will do it! :)**

**Zuko: What! No I'm not! X{**

**Justice: Okay, then Aang will do it!**

**(Aang runs away in the distance.)**

**Justice: Alright fine. I don't own Avatar the last Airbender, otherwise I wouldn't waste your guys time coming up with this disclaimer! :( (Pouting...)**

The Wedding

Aang looked at the sky. It was very clear, just a lot of blue with the sun shining behind him. You'd think that it would have been hot if you looked at the sky. But the wind was blowing steadily and there were icebergs here and there. Just proof that when at the Northern Water Tribe, it was winter all the way around.

Aang was currently riding on Appa with Zuko snoring somewhere in the saddle. They weren't going too fast because Appa was carrying a lot of food and supplies. Aang didn't mind the slow journey. It gave him plenty of time to think.

Aang stared back at the sky longingly wishing he could just open up his glider and fly away. But he couldn't do that now, not with Zuko sleeping out in the open and Appa carrying the heavy cargo.

Aang sighed as the wind roughly pushed his long hair into his face. Aang looked at his costume with distain. Zuko still wouldn't allow Aang to wear his ceremonial robe to the wedding, so he was forced to wear a fire nation robe. It was black with a red sash that covered up Aang's white shirt and pants underneath. Aang was also wearing golden sashes over his ankles, wrists, forehead, and waist along with the red sash. And to complete the outfit were fire nation shoes made out of silk that were golden and red. Zuko had told Aang that he was wearing clothes fit for the finest warriors of the Fire Nation, but...

In a clash of fur, Momo hopped up on Aang's head. "Hey little buddy. You enjoying yourself?" Momo responded by cuddling up in Aang's ruffled hair. Aang smiled. Since he had let his hair grow out, Momo had taken to sleeping on his head a lot more. It was quite cute to Aang and it cheered his spirits up a bit as they slowly approached the Northern Water Tribe.

The Northern Water Tribe was a very beautiful city. Its walls had been rebuilt and the castle was made even larger than the last time Aang and his friends had been there. The buildings were all made out of pale blue ice. Surrounding the buildings were many statues, most made to honor the moon spirit, Princess Yue. She was a wonderful person who gave up her life to save the Northern Water tribe. She was also Sokka's first girlfriend.

Aang sat up straight, startled. _Yue was Sokka's old girlfriend!_ "Uh, Zuko! Could you wake up, we're almost there."

Zuko grumbled, annoyed at being interrupted from his quite pleasant dream. "What now, Aang?" Zuko looked up and felt guilty once he saw Aang's sparkling eyes. Zuko sat up with a grunt. "Are you worried or something?"

"It's just that, this is where Sokka met Princess Yue."

Zuko's eyes widened. "Oh...well, I'm sure he'll be just fine."

Aang closed his eyes slowly. "I don't think it's going to be that easy..."

Zuko yawned as he slumped over his sleeping bag. It wasn't that he didn't care. He really did understand where Aang was coming from. But it was pretty hard for Zuko to concentrate on anything at the moment. Zuko frowned as he thought about the meeting he had with General Shino the week before...

...

_"I'm surprised you invited me to this meeting without the Avatar." _

_Zuko was trying not to be paranoid, but he could have sworn that the General had sneered when making the comment. If he was being perfectly honest with himself, Zuko didn't get why he had called the meeting in the first place. But he was the new fire lord. Things just had to get done._

_"I thought it would be best if I let Aang have the day to rest, considering what he's been through recently. He nearly fainted like four days ago."_

_The General gasped. "Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. Is the boy alright?"_

_"He's fine actually. I just think I'll let him take it easy for a while. Don't want to burden him."_

_The General smirked. "Anyone would be if they were in your place. I mean look at the history your people needs to overcome. I would be having migraines every day if I were you. Definitely too much stress for a young lad like the Avatar…"_

_Zuko had to work hard to prevent himself from yelling. _

I can't get worked up, not now...I have to do this for Aang_, Zuko thought._

_"Well, Lucky for you I have the luxury of doing all the grunt work. But give me some credit. The rebellions are quieting down now. My guards are using more brutal force. Peace is slowly starting to come back both in the Earth Kingdom and here in the Fire Nation."_

_"Yes, but how long will that last? If your soldiers don't stop these rebellions we could have another war on our hands. And by stop I mean __**CRUSH**__ any resistance."_

_Zuko hesitated as the General gave him a nasty smile. "I will say this. It least Fire Lord Ozai got things done quickly. Everyone followed his decisions and judgment without question. You on the other hand are just a child playing house."_

_Zuko smiled back, his amber eyes blazing dangerously in the dark meeting room. "I know it's going to take a lot...for you to trust me, General. But believe me when I say that I understand the seriousness of this situation. And I hope I can have your help in this. I can't do this alone."_

_The General grunted as he relaxed into a more casual position in his seat, his palm resting below his chin. "Tell me more, about the LL Phoenix."_

_..._

Zuko sighed. The General and Zuko had talked almost every day that week trying to come up with a plan, but so far their attempts hadn't been that successful.

"Zuko, you okay? How much sleep did you get last night anyway?"

Zuko smirked. "None of your business. I sleep enough."

"Well that yawn could have woken me up from ten miles away." Aang laughed as Zuko glared at him.

Zuko continued to stare at Aang as they approached the entrance to the Northern Water tribe. Waterbenders from the inside bended a great big hole into the ice allowing Appa to swim through with Aang and Zuko. The hole closed up behind them while more waterbenders filled the area with water, raising Appa up so that they could reach the main road.

"You have to admit, they have some pretty cool architectural designs for this place," Aang said as he studied the surrounding ice villages and castle with awe.

"All I can remember was how hard it was to sneak into this place," Zuko said softly with his chin in his hands. Aang chuckled as Zuko looked at him with one of his rare smiles.

_I really should tell him, about the meetings with Shino. But I'll wait till the weddings over. It will give him some more time to relax. _Zuko continued looking at Aang as the young airbender laughed without a care in the world, causing Momo to fall off his head.

"Never forget to be a kid, Aang," Zuko mumbled softly, to low for Aang to hear as the two headed for the royal castle up ahead.

...

When Aang and Zuko entered the meeting room inside the castle they were very surprised to see Katara and Toph already there waiting for them.

Toph looked quite uncomfortable in a green snowsuit with black gloves and dark blue snow shoes. She was constantly moving her hands together and breathing in her palms. Her hood was white which contrasted oddly with the green in her suit, but of course Toph didn't mind. "Did it have to be here? The Northern Water Tribe! Freezing tundra's and winds. No thank you. Couldn't Sokka have chosen to get married someplace that didn't freaking SNOW?"

Katara frowned at Toph. "Don't complain. This is a special occasion. It's been almost half a year since we've seen each other and all you can do is talk about the weather?"

"Hey! This is your element so of course you're going to feel better. I'm freezing! Like, I can't feel my toes! How can you guys stand this? How could anyone get married here? That smart aleck better be grateful that I made those costumes..." Toph continued to rant under her breathe.

Katara sighed with exasperation. "Toph, this is important. They're not costumes."

Aang came up to Toph, his face full of curiosity. "So how did you make them? You know since you're blind and all..."

Toph glared in Aang's direction. "I hired someone to do it for me you nitwit! Jeez, fancypants. Give me a break! I've been here for two freaking days!"

Aang backed away slowly. "Oh, right. Sorry, wasn't trying to offend you."

Toph shivered violently. "How come you're not cold?"

Aang chuckled. "Well, actually I am pretty cold. Once you've been in the fire nation for a few weeks this weather begins to feel quite pleasant."

Toph angrily blew a burst of hot steamy breathe into the frigid air. "Take me there any day."

Katara smiled brightly at Aang. It was a surprise seeing Aang in something other than his airbending clothes. Katara thought black was a nice color on him and she was very happy that Aang had kept his hair down. "It's great to see you after all these months!"

Aang smiled slowly looking Katara up and down. "Uh, it's great seeing you too..."

Katara was wearing a nice purple snow suit with white lace wrapped around her hair loops and neck. Her snow suit was purple and beneath it was a light blue dress flowing out in light ripples against her legs. It acted as a cute long skirt for the waterbender and fit her perfectly.

Katara blushed as Aang continued to stare at her. "Do you like it? I'm trying on the dress to see how it feels. I have to keep the snow suit on over it though, otherwise Sokka will see it early when he gets here."

"It...looks great on you." Aang smiled shyly.

Toph hit Aang in the back. Aang glared at her while Zuko walked up to the group. "You know I could have used some help carrying the food, Aang!"

"Oh, sorry…"

"Do you know how hard it was keeping that food safe during the trip? I can tell when I'm not being appreciated."

Zuko stomped away annoyed as Aang tried to apologize racing after him. Katara laughed softly.

Toph smirked. "Looks like air boy over there is the same. Still the lightest guy on earth. Then again it's pretty hard to feel anything out here."

Katara rubbed Toph's shoulder gingerly. "You'll get used to it soon enough."

Toph spat roughly on the ground. "I'm going to be a popsicle by tomorrow morning. Where's boomerang boy and fan girl anyhow?"

"They're here. They just have to prepare for the ceremony. That's tonight and it's just between Sokka and Suki. Then tomorrow the wedding will begin."

Katara gave Toph a bright smile. "They're going to love the outfits you made for them."

Toph smiled back. "They better. I paid a lot of money..."

Katara punched Toph in the arm playfully.

"Hey, don't do that! My arm could actually fall off."

Katara chuckled. "You're just saying that. Come on, you're the Blind Bandit. A little bad weather won't stop you."

"Humph. Could you please take me to my room?"

"Sure thing."

Katara led Toph deeper into the palace. It really was quite exquisite, especially with the decorations Katara made. There were white ribbons everywhere and little crystal balls put in the ceiling that sparkled everywhere in the daylight. Katara even made some ice sculptures for the occasion.

Katara smiled as she imagined Suki's reaction to the decor. As she led Toph to her room she thought about the changes that would come with the marriage. It was going to be fun having a new sister-in-law.

...

"It's nice to finally see them again."

Zuko smiled as he lifted the final piece of cargo off of Appa. "Yeah..."

Aang smiled as he remembered Katara's outfit. "I can't wait to see how she looks at the wedding..."

Zuko smirked. "Don't forget, this is all for Sokka."

Aang nodded. "I know, it's just...I haven't seen her in a while."

Aang's eyes softened as he took out something in the fold of his thick, black robe. Zuko looked at what Aang was holding with curiosity.

It was the betrothal necklace Aang had made for Katara. It was made out of a hard blue shell that Aang had found a long time ago from the Western Air Temple. It had an interesting pattern on it that didn't look anything like the four nations.

"What did you carve into it?"

Aang's eyes sparkled with some deep emotion. "It's Yin and Yang. I learned about it in the fire nation when we had disguised ourselves in the city. It represents a balance in all things, where polar opposites form together as one. They say that is where we get such things like 'hot' versus 'cold'."

"Huh, so it's like good versus evil?"

"It's more like the balance that exists between them. There will always be good and evil forces in the world but they don't override the other. They just are."

Zuko looked at Aang as the young airbender sat down to study the necklace more. "So, you're going to ask Katara to marry you?"

"Well, not now. I know she's of marrying age, but I think it would be best to wait just for a few more months." Aang stared confidently at the necklace. "I made it this way so that no matter what happens Katara will always remember that there is a balance for everything that happens. I may not see her as often as I want to but as it quiets down I'll be able to spend the rest of my time with her."

"But you'll always be the Avatar. You're going to have to travel and handle different situations all over the world, Aang."

Aang looked squarely into Zuko's eyes. "Then I'll bring her with me."

Zuko looked at Aang. He looked so much older now. His eyes glowed with determination as he clutched the necklace protectively. _Perhaps I shouldn't have given Aang the warrior outfit,_ Zuko concluded.

Zuko walked over closer to Aang. "Well, if there is anyone who can do it, I'm sure you can manage, Aang." Aang smiled at Zuko. It wasn't a goofy smile. It was a smile usually reserved for special occasions.

"Speaking of which Zuko, aren't you going to get married? I thought you had something going with Mai."

Zuko glared at Aang, his body tensing with anger. _And I thought he was maturing!_ "Seriously, Aang?"

Zuko walked away abruptly. Aang stared after him in shock. "What did I say?"

oooOOooOOOooo

Zuko woke up quickly feeling colder than he ever had in his life. _Man, why did this have to be the place? Why!_

Zuko grumbled with agitation as he quickly got dressed. He walked out into the dining room seeing Katara carrying some plates.

"Hey, I missed breakfast didn't I?"

Katara stared at Zuko suddenly with panic. "You just woke up! The wedding starts in thirty minutes!"

Zuko jumped about three feet. **"WHAT!"**

Katara rolled her eyes at Zuko's reaction. "You need to get into position."

"My position? What position?"

Katara walked over to Zuko nearly spilling the plates. "You know, right next to Aang! You guys are representing the Fire Nation."

Zuko rubbed his head fiercely as he tried to remember the map Sokka had sent him along with the invitation showing where Zuko and Aang would stand at the event.

"Just go!" Katara pushed him along into the main room.

"Wait...oh..." Zuko found himself standing on a large stage in front of about a hundred people. He could see Toph in the front smirking loudly. Zuko felt his cheeks get hot for a second before he spotted Aang off to the side smiling sympathetically.

Zuko could barely get to Aang without setting the stage on fire. He sat down with a great thump and glared at Aang who was still smiling.

"What was THAT?" The crowd around them starting shushing Zuko, which only angered him more.

"What was what?" Aang said in a whisper.

"You know what's what! Why didn't you wake me up sooner?"

Aang shrugged. "Remember the last time I woke you up?"

Zuko shook his head as his everything began to dim...

...

_"Zuko! I made your favorite! Come on we have a meeting today!" Aang looked at Zuko's sleeping form and tried shoving his body._

_"Come on..." Aang grunted._

_Zuko sat up in a flipping motion nearly sending Aang into the wall._

_"Good you're awake..." Aang stopped once he noticed Zuko breathing fire out of his mouth._

_"WHO DARES TO WAKE ME?" Aang yelped as Zuko started shooting fire all over his room._

_"Uh, Zuko, you said…" Aang was struggling to dodge all of the fire._

_"NO ONE CAN BEAT THE FIRELORD!" Zuko's eyes blazed in Aang's direction._

_"I was just trying to get you ready for the meeting!" Aang shouted as Zuko raced after him down the stairs._

_..._

Zuko shook his head loosely. "I...still can't remember." Aang muttered something about paying five hundred bucks.

The crowd shushed them again as both Zuko and Aang got quiet as Hakoda, Sokka and Katara's dad, entered the stage.

"Welcome everyone. It is with much honor and pride that I welcome you here today to experience the holy matrimony of my first born, Sokka, to the great and faithful leader of the kyoshi warriors, Suki."

Aang and Zuko clapped loudly with the audience as Hakoda brushed his eyes swiftly.

"I am very happy to present to you, my son and his new wife." Sokka and Suki entered the stage and the claps were deafening.

Sokka was dressed in a dark green warrior's pants and light top with a silver robe jacket. His hair was back in a warrior's wolf tail with a kyoshi helmet on his head with the gold thread going down on the side of his face. Anyone else wearing the outfit would have looked goofy but Sokka looked very handsome in the piece.

Suki was dressed in a ravishing green dress with light white shoes and a nice green pendent on top of a striking gold necklace. She wore some make up, but it wasn't as dark as her regular kyoshi make up.

Aang smiled at the couple and stood up, proudly clapping. Then he headed for the stage.

Zuko's eyes widened. "What is he doing?"

Katara came up and sat next to Zuko, causing him to jump. "He's doing the speech to represent our blessing," She said calmly.

Zuko nodded uncomfortably. "So how come Toph isn't sitting with us?"

"She wanted to be in the front so she could feel the vibrations better. Plus it's easier for people to describe things to her from that spot."

"Then why aren't we in the front?"

Katara smirked. "Sokka set it up that way. You know how he gets."

"Oh..." Zuko suppressed a yawn.

"How long did you sleep last night?"

"A few hours. Let's not talk about it right now."

Katara shrugged as Aang began to speak.

"Hello everyone. It is with great pleasure that I stand here before the new couple in order to bless their marriage."

Everyone clapped until Aang brought his hand up.

"It's going to be different seeing Sokka married. I'll be looking back at the times we shared with him and hope for the best. Sokka has many new responsibilities now that he is one with Suki. We are all so proud of him." Aang glanced back at Sokka who was starting to tear up. "And he deserves it."

Than Aang glanced at Suki. "Suki it is with much respect and joy that we welcome you to the family."

The crowd roared with joy, but not as loud as Toph who was screaming and jumping in the front. Aang bowed then took his place back in the audience. Katara gave him a big smile and Zuko put his hand on Aang's shoulder. Hakoda continued the formal sayings and marked Suki and Sokka with the traditional water tribe signs of peace and prosperity on their foreheads. It was the same black ink Aang remembered from the time they went ice dodging together. Finally after that, Sokka and Suki kissed passionately while Zuko stood up and lit different torches in the room that were placed strategically in a star pattern. Everyone stood and clapped as colorful paper was thrown in the air.

Aang smiled as Sokka and Suki went off the stage to greet the guests.

oooOOOOooOoooo

Aang stared at the meat with disgust.

"You okay?"

Aang looked at Zuko sadly. "Yeah, I'm fine. Not much food for a vegetarian you know?"

Zuko shrugged. "You can always have a fruit pie."

"I know," Aang said this slowly as he continued to look at the meat. He didn't notice someone sneaking up behind him. Zuko saw who it was and smirked.

"SNEAK ATTACK!" Sokka tried to karate chop Aang's head, but Aang turned and Sokka ended up falling flat on his face.

"Sokka, I said this once and I'll say it again. You can't do a sneak attack if you yell your intentions out loud."

Sokka grabbed Aang in a bear hug and rubbed his fist in Aang's hair. "Man, I missed you and your Avatar weirdness. So how was it in the fire nation?"

"Hot," Zuko muttered as he downed some punch.

"You bet it was." Aang looked up at Sokka. "You can let me go now."

"Oh, sorry. It's just...you've gotten taller." Sokka rubbed his eyes. "I feel like it was yesterday when you used to be such an annoying goofball."

Aang's eyebrow rose up. "Me, a goofball? Look who's talking."

Sokka laughed loudly and Zuko chuckled. Sokka stared back and forth between Zuko and Aang, his eyes glowing mischievously. "Come on, let's have a guys night out. For old time's sake."

Zuko stared at his glass with a tired expression. "Shouldn't you be with your wife?"

"Suki is hanging out with Katara and Toph. We have three hours to spend together so come on, times a wasting."

"No thank you." Zuko was raising his glass back up to his lips when Sokka knocked it out of his hand. "HEY!"

"Come on, Zuko. Don't be a party pooper."

Aang smiled at Zuko encouragingly. "It won't hurt you, Zuko. It's his wedding day."

"Fine, but don't expect me to dance." Sokka gave Zuko an evil smile as they walked away.

"I'll catch up with you guys in a second." Aang said as he stayed by the food table.

Aang sighed as he began to stare at the meat again. He didn't know why but he wanted it for some reason. His stomach started grumbling loudly. Aang shook his head slowly. He couldn't. Aang continued looking at the meat regretfully.

Suddenly his hands were moving faster than lightning as he grabbed a piece. Aang looked around the area swiftly making sure no one was watching. Then he stuffed the food into his mouth, moving his jaw up and down. Aang swallowed the meat quickly then he ran away from the food table. His mind was filling up with so many thoughts but only two stuck out:

1. He was still hungry...

2. The meat tasted good.

* * *

><p><strong>Aang ate meat! NOOOOOOO!<strong>

**Anyway, there is a reason for that, as is a reason for the yin and yang stuff to. **

**Wow, this is my longest chapter yet! Anyway, just so you guys know, Zuko was sleep walking in that flashback earlier. :]**

**I wanted Suki and Sokka's wedding to be sort of modern with some twists and other things. It was refreshing to finally include the rest of the gang into the story besides Aang and Zuko! And don't worry, you'll also find out what happened to Shen in the next chapter!**

**I actually enjoyed writing this chapter more than I thought I would. Tell me what you guys think of it.**

**Last Edit: June 29 2012**


	6. Secret Meetings

Secret Meetings

"Ugh…that's the last time I ever go out with Sokka." Aang coughed as his body shook for the second time in his bed.

"Well, what did you expect after drinking all that cactus juice?" Katara smirked as she draped a blanket over Aang's cold body.

"I had no idea that the stuff was cactus juice. He must have spiked our drinks or something."

"Well, it least it wasn't alcohol." Katara smiled as Aang continued to pout.

"Think of it this way, now you guys have an even better incentive not to drink cactus juice ever again."

Aang looked away as his mind drifted elsewhere to the night before…

"_Hey guys, check this out." _

_Sokka was eagerly jumping up and down as Aang and Zuko followed reluctantly. Sokka held up a silver bottle in his hand proudly._

"_So, you guys want to have a taste?"_

_Aang jumped back two feet. Zuko smirked. "I don't think your wife would appreciate you consuming liquor, Sokka."_

"_It's not liquor, it's a new drink I invented."_

_Aang stared at the bottle with curiosity. "You made that?"_

"_Sure did. It's a special fruit drink that I combined with cactus juice."_

_Aang's eyes widened. "CACTUS JUICE?"_

_Zuko looked at the bottle with suspicion. "Isn't this the stuff that got you all messed up in the desert?"_

"_Relax, guys. Only about one fourth of it is cactus juice. Come on try it. It's pretty popular around here if I do say so myself."_

_Sokka handed Zuko and Aang bottles as he started chugging down his own. Aang stared at the bottle with a worried expression. He was very surprised when he saw Zuko take a sip._

"_How..is..it?" Aang asked._

_Zuko swallowed slowly then his eyes stared at the bottle incredulously. "This..is actually really good."_

_Aang's eyes were now nearly bulging out of his head. "Seriously?"_

_Aang watched as Zuko continued drinking. Aang looked away from Zuko to see Sokka who was looking at him expectantly, his eyes sparkling._

"_Alright, I guess one taste won't hurt." Aang quickly started guzzling down the silver bottle. _

_It was very sweet and smooth going down his throat. The drink was warm and it caused his body to shiver with delight as the contents went down into his stomach. Zuko was right, it DID taste good._

_Aang couldn't help smiling as his body sang with content. Aang could also see a similar uncharacteristic smile forming on Zuko's face._

"_I told you guys! This stuffs the best!"_

_Aang suddenly burst into giggles. It just seemed the right thing to do at the moment._

"_Man, Sokka. What are you going to invent next, a time machine?"_

_Zuko started laughing as Sokka shook his head up and down. "Yeah, then I can see that moon girl! But, I can't really do anything with her right now, cause I'm MARRIED!"_

"_Ha, I'm single!" Aang started pointing at Zuko. "And he's single to, cause I haven't seen MAI around!"_

_Zuko was still laughing hysterically on the ground so he didn't hear Aang's comment. As all this was happening more people were starting to come towards the group. Most of them looked amused while others looked annoyed._

_Sokka started laughing now. "Man, I'm out of the single club! HEY, does anyone want to join the single club?"_

"_HEY, SOKKA! Why are we shouting?"_

_Sokka looked around at the people who gathered around them. "I HAVE NO IDEA!"_

_Sokka and Aang continued laughing as people around them began to cover their ears._

_..._

Everything else after that was a little too hazy for Aang to recall. He frowned as he tried to remember.

"Well, I'm sure Sokka will think of better things to make. Don't tell him I said this, but he really is a genius when it comes to stuff like that," Katara said taking Aang out of his deep concentration.

"Oh, yeah…" Aang rubbed his forehead as he felt a headache coming on. "Did we do anything bad last night?"

Katara shook her head. "Not really. I'd say it was more embarrassing than bad. You were acting kind of strange though."

Aang quickly sat up. "How so?"

Katara shrugged. "You just ate a lot, almost as much as Sokka. You guys kept having eating contests between each other." Katara looked at Aang softly. "You didn't tell me that you eat meat now."

Aang stared at Katara. He was too shocked to reply. It was just so weird. In all his life, Aang had never forsaken the principles the monks had taught him. Respecting life was a major aspect of the monk's philosophy. And Aang had broken that principle by eating meat.

Aang shook his head. "Maybe I should have taken the medicine that crazy doctor made for me."

"Huh?"

Aang gave Katara a small smile. "A few weeks ago I passed out on the fire nation palace roof."

"What! Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. It's just been weird ever since then. My firebending has gotten stronger, I tend to get more tired and hungry, and…" Aang frowned for a second. "I seem to be losing parts of my memory."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, it's kind of hard to explain but sometimes Zuko and I fight and I get so angry…..I….I don't know. I just can't remember what happens for a couple of seconds."

Katara shrugged. "Maybe you should ask Zuko about it. I'm sure he remembers."

Aang nodded. "Right."

Aang shifted his position towards the window as Katara brought a wet towel to his forehead. Aang suddenly realized that this was the first time Katara had been alone with him since their little family reunion. Aang brought his attention back to Katara, staring into her deep ocean blue eyes.

"How have you been?"

"Oh, me? Well I've been pretty busy. You should have seen how many hours it took me to make the decorations." Katara said this quite coldly, contrasting with the cheerfulness she had maintained earlier.

Aang smiled as he noted the sarcasm hidden in her words. "I'm sorry. I haven't spent that much time with you, have I?"

"It's been months Aang! You could have it least sent a letter!"

Aang sighed as Katara looked away. "I thought that it least you would keep in touch," She said softly.

"I'm sorry Katara. But you know if you had sent me a letter I would have replied in a heartbeat."

Katara huffed angrily as she turned to walk away. Before she could go Aang grabbed her hand.

"Wait…"

Katara glared at Aang. "What?"

"Let me make this up to you. Let's go for a walk."

"A walk? That's all you could come up with?"

"It's what you want, right? To spend more time?" Aang looked into Katara's eyes with determination. "Well, I'm here now. And I would be happy to take you out if you're okay with that."

Katara wouldn't look into Aang's eyes, but she nodded slowly placing her hand inside the Airbender's. "This better be a good walk."

Aang smiled as he led Katara away.

_~~~back in the fire nation~~~~~_

"Excuse me? I would like to pick up the dress I've ordered."

"Certainly," The clerk said smiling as he went into the back of the store looking through the marked packages. Finding what he was looking for, he quickly went back and approached the lady in the front.

"Oh, thank you. I've been waiting so long for this."

"No problem. Anything else I can do for you?"

"No, though you can tell me what happened to Lee. He was so kind and one of the best shopkeepers around. I do hope he is alright."

_Humph, pathetic wiesel. What fine shopkeeper leaves his store to be robbed? _The clerk smiled generously at the women. "Oh, I'm sure he's alright. He left the store all on its own so I thought I might take over until he gets back."

The women smiled. "Well, I hear you're doing an incredible job. Keep up the good work."

"Thank you, and good day to you."

The clerk continued waving until the women left his sight, then he spat on the ground. "Seriously, where's the Fire lord when you need one? These citizens have no idea how to act. Humph, the sooner we get the Phoenix King back in charge the better."

The clerk jumped back a few feet as another man almost tumbled into him. "What the…"

"SHEN! You're alive." The man started hugging Shen nearly causing the LL Phoenix leader to pass out. Shen quickly punched the man in the jaw.

"Imbecile! Of course it's me!"

The man rubbed his nose ruefully. "Come on, you don't remember me?"

Shen stared at the man closely. Then he punched him in the gut. The man stumbled painfully.

"What..was….that for?"

"For being an idiot. Took you long enough, Jack."

"It's not easy finding a base for operations. The last one was destroyed. We had to build a new one. Unfortunately, the area isn't as nice as we would like. It will do for now since we have to stay off the radar. The guards have been more relentless as of late."

Shen smirked. "I know."

"I seriously almost got killed trying to find you. So, what are you doing?"

Shen had to try really hard to not punch Jack in the gut again. _Is this fool blind? Seriously, I need to find more recruits._

"It's my cover. Stupid store keeper could barely keep himself from getting robbed. I put him out of his misery."

Jack started rubbing his stomach. "Of course you did. Don't expect anything less from you."

Shen found his coat and put it on. It was black and hid his figure. It also made him look a little taller.

"Alright take me to the base and alert the others."

"Huh, for what?"

Shen stared at Jack for a long moment. Jack tensed under his gaze as Shen stepped closer to him. Shen then gave him an evil grin.

"For a meeting…"

ooooOoOOoOOoooo

Zuko snarled as his headache started acting up again. He felt like a hammer was banging inside his eardrums. _Man, it hurts! What was in that stuff? _Zuko glared at Sokka who was about three feet away and appeared to have not had any ill effects due to the cactus juice he consumed last night.

Zuko shook his head slowly as he tried to sit back and relax for a couple of minutes.

"Zuko!"

"I guess my cat nap will have to wait," Zuko murmured as Sokka walked over to him with a huge smile on his face.

"Man, last night was awesome! Who knew Aang could eat so much!"

"Yeah, about that. You do realize what you guys were eating, right?"

Sokka stopped for a moment frowning. "What, I don't really remember that much. All I can recall was how good that food was…and how I lost to Aang three times in a row!"

Sokka's eyes sparkled in fury as he remembered how he had lost so easily. Zuko just turned away, knowing Sokka didn't really understand his question.

Sokka shook his head. "Our little guy is growing up. Soon he will be just as bad as you, Zuko."

Zuko snorted. "And that's coming from the guy who's married."

"I still know how to have fun, unlike you moody firebenders."

Zuko glared as Sokka smiled back in return. Then Zuko sighed. "I'm not really in the mood for this right now, Sokka. I have a lot on my plate."

Sokka shrugged. "Suit yourself. This just makes my point more clear though."

"Whatever."

Sokka stared at the sky seeing a small outline of the moon in the distance. He always thought it was beautiful how the moon could show up even in the daytime.

"You know, Zuko. Aang isn't a goofy kid anymore. He's the Avatar. The fun he has right now will probably be one of the very few moments that will occur in his lifetime."

Zuko looked at the sky, bleakly. "Yeah, I get that. That's why I don't invite him to all the war meetings. I want him to have it least a _decent_ childhood despite the position he's in."

Sokka nodded. "Well, I guess that's all you can really do. Aang's responsibilities get him caught up sometimes…"

Sokka looked up at the sky sadly. _Just like it did for you, Yue. I hope you're happy right now…_

The two friends stared at the sky longingly.

oooOoOOoOoo

Katara smiled as Aang held her while they gazed at the moon from the bridge.

"This almost makes up for all the time we missed."

Aang chuckled. "Almost? I guess I got my work cut out for me."

Katara smiled though her eyes began to dim. She knew she had to tell Aang about her situation tonight. She just didn't know if Aang would handle it well.

"Aang…I have to tell you something."

Aang looked into Katara, sensing the matter was serious. "Yes?"

Katara sighed as she gazed longingly at the moon. "I..I'm turning fifteen in a month."

Aang nodded. "Okay."

Katara looked into Aang's grey eyes sadly. "If I don't find someone suitable to marry by then I will have an arranged marriage."

Aang's eyes filled with shock. "What! I thought the Southern Water Tribe was more patient on these sorts of things."

Katara lowered her head. "Actually, I don't live in the Southern Water Tribe anymore. I moved here about two months ago."

"Oh…"

Katara swiftly lifted up her head. "It's not like I'm getting married when I turn fifteen. I'll just be engaged. I won't actually marry until I turn sixteen. But I have to decide before my birthday comes up."

Katara looked down again at the floor, embarrassed. She was surprised when Aang lifted her face up slowly and pressed something into the palm of her hand.

Katara stared at the necklace in awe. The pattern was something she had never seen before on a betrothal necklace.

"Aang…"

Aang pulled Katara closer to him. "Its Yin and Yang. It represents the balance that exists in all things. It shows us that no matter what happens we can have hope because our challenges won't last forever."

Katara eyes widened. "It's the same as the black and white koi in the spiritual pond. Remember, Aang?"

Aang nodded. "They are the same. Just as the ocean and moon keep balance the rest of the world does in all its forms. The four elements, the four nations, and…" Aang stared into Katara's eyes. "Me and you."

Katara looked at Aang as he lowered himself into a kneeling position.

"Katara…I know this may seem sudden. But, I can't imagine my life without you being by my side." Aang smiled softly at the love of his life. "Katara, would you like to be engaged to me?"

Katara's eyes sparkled in the sunlight. Katara slowly took off her water tribe necklace and wrapped it around her arm. She then took the betrothal necklace and placed it on her neck.

"Yes…" was all the emotional waterbender could say as Aang hugged her full body into his own.

"I love you, Katara," Aang whispered into her ears.

"I love you too," Katara said softly.

oooOooOOoOooo

Shen was really annoyed. About only half of the members were present for the meeting.

Shen growled impatiently. _We change location and everyone goes haywire. I definitely need some new recruits._

Shen stood up and the other members stood up as well. Their space was small and underground. In the middle of the room was a large oval table with a map of the four nations.

Jack blew the horn which signaled the start of the meeting.

"As you all know, we've hit a road block in our plans. Despite the fact that we, or should I say I, defeated the blue dragon we are still far away from our goal."

The men listened silently giving Shen their full attention as he continued.

"In order to truly return the Fire nation to its true state, we must slay the Avatar."

Some of the men gasped while others nodded their heads in agreement. Others just stared at Shen incredulously.

"I know, I know. It may sound impossible and don't think this will be easy. The Avatar will be a formidable opponent, the toughest we've ever faced. Remember we are not simply talking about a thirteen-year old boy. We are talking about a boy that took Fire Lord Ozai's bending away."

Everyone was now nodding in agreement.

"So we stay in hiding. Assume our covers and wait for the right moment to strike. Once the Avatar is out of our way, the rest will follow."

The men started cheering while Jack bowed in respect from behind Shen. Shen raised his hand to stop the applause.

"And don't worry gentlemen. We will catch the red dragon and finish what we started. After all, a little fear does help one's reputation."

Shen smiled as he planned gruesome deaths for the Avatar and the red dragon. He couldn't wait to get started.

* * *

><p><strong>Alright! Another chapter completed. Whew, nearly spent all day on this one! Oh, and by the way Katara and Aang are just engaged. If they do get married, it would be one year later when Katara turns 16. Hoped you enjoyed this, and check out my other stories too. I'll be posting another Avatar fic for those interested! :)<strong>

**Last Edit: June 29 2012**


	7. Symptoms and Bad Advice: Part One

**Yay, more reviews! Thanks a lot you guys! This means a lot to me!**

**Hopefully you will continue to like this story as it progresses!**

**Zuko: …**

**Justice: Well, what are you staring for?**

**Zuko: Nothing…I hired this new guy to do the disclaimers for us.**

**Justice: Well, it's about time! So where is he?**

**Hired help: WE DON'T OWN ANYTHING!**

**Justice: Wait, that's not true.**

**Hired help: Oh, sorry….WE DON'T OWN ANYTHING EXCEPT FOR SHEN AND THE OTHER MEMBERS OF LL PHOENIX!**

**Justice: That's better. **

Symptoms, Betrayals, and Bad Advice: Part One

Aang sat at the dinner table with a frustrated expression on his face. Everyone else was eating and talking but Aang hadn't said a word since he got there. Katara was starting to worry, but she didn't dwell on it. Being the Avatar meant there was going to be plenty of moments where Aang would become slightly antisocial. She just wished it wouldn't happen during dinner.

Katara sighed. Sokka looked at Katara. "What are you so depressed about?"

Katara looked up quickly. "Oh. Nothing. It's just…I wish there would be more people present that is. And I mean _MENTALLY_ present." Katara glanced at Aang as she emphasized the word.

Sokka followed her eyes to Aang then shouted, "Yeah! I totally agree! It's like some people aren't even here!"

Toph kicked Sokka from across the table. "I think what everyone is trying to say is, what's wrong twinkle toes?"

Aang eyes popped open as he realized what he was doing. "Oh. Sorry guys. I'm just kind of…confused to say the least."

Toph leaned back against her seat putting her legs on the table since it was only her friends watching. "Well don't leave us in suspense. Tell us what the problem is!"

Aang bit his bottom lip. "I'm having a hard time going into the Avatar state."

The sound of forks clattering and drinks dropping was all that was heard for a moment as Aang's friends gasped.

"What do you mean you can't go into the Avatar state?" Sokka said with disbelief in his tone.

"Well, it's not just the Avatar state. I can't even go into the spirit world either for some reason. It's like," Aang struggled trying to explain the experience properly, "It's like there's something pushing me or some force that hits me, preventing me from entering the spirit realm. It causes my head to hurt and…It makes me feel more tired."

Katara looked at Aang closely. "Are you feeling okay? You're not injured are you?"

Aang shook his head. "No. It's not like that."

Zuko frowned as he tried to remember something. "Humph, perhaps we should have listened more to Judis."

"Who? You're not talking about that crazy doctor are you?"

Zuko smirked. "He's not crazy…yet."

Aang scowled in annoyance as he remembered how long the doctor kept him in his studies, taking samples from pretty much everywhere on Aang's body.

Toph shrugged as Aang fumed beside her. "So, what did this guy say about Aang?"

Zuko rubbed his head. "Something about some 'foreign' power being inside Aang. Maybe he will be able to explain further when we get back."

Sokka nearly jumped from his seat at the table. "Wait, you guys are leaving already?"

"I do have a country to run. If it weren't for that mind punch you gave us earlier we would have been gone by now!"

Zuko and Sokka glared at each other. Toph chuckled softly. "Well, getting back to the point, you think there is something inside our Air boy?"

Aang tensed at the nickname. "Well, it does seem like some other power is at work in my body. If only I could talk to Roku, he would help me figure this out..."

Katara smiled. "I think you'll be just fine. You've always been able to solve problems like this before. Don't stress yourself out. If you want, I could do a healing session on your back if that will help."

"And how would that help?" Sokka said with annoyance.

"Last time Aang couldn't enter the Avatar state because of the energy locked in his back due to the injury he received from Azula. Maybe this new energy is spreading in that area."

Suki shook her head. "I don't think that's the case. Aang was still able to enter the spirit world during that time, even without the Avatar state."

Aang sighed. "Well, I'm beat."

"Why are you tired? You didn't help us come up with any solutions at all," Toph said. She started laughing while Aang glared at her.

"Look Aang. You need to be on your game. If there are rebellions forming in the fire nation then you need to have enough energy to take them out." Sokka said this as he made swiping motions with an imaginary sword.

Aang smiled as he looked at everyone around him. "Thanks guys for all the concern, but I'm sure I'll be able to at least enter the spirit world soon. I just need to push harder."

Zuko stood up from his seat with a yawn. "Just don't pass out again. I need you to be able to control Appa for most of the way back. I can barely keep my eyes open as it is."

Aang's eyes flashed with worry. "You're sleeping patterns have been going haywire."

Zuko continued to walk away from the dining room, but before he left he stopped and looked Aang in the eye. His face was so full of exhaustion that Aang nearly forced him to lay down right there where he stood.

"I haven't had a good night's sleep in…a while." Was all he said in a whisper. Then Zuko left the dining room while the others cast sympathetic glances in his direction.

...

Zuko sighed as he sat on his bed dejectedly and held up the note crumpled up in his hand. He glared at it and scratched his head as he read it over again.

_Zuko_

_It's great to see you taking a break from your duties. Remember a man always needs his rest. I don't want to alarm you but some unsettling news has shown up. It appears that the blue dragon from the sun warrior village has passed on, and so has the chief. The people there are in disarray and are quite angry at the fire nation. _

_I'm afraid a new conflict is lurking in the distance for you, Zuko. The villagers don't want anything to do with you or the Avatar since they assumed that you have exposed their secret. Of course, not all believe that to be the case, but the Chief's right hand man is thirsty for your blood. I advise you and the young Avatar to be careful as you deal with the rebellions and the villagers._

_Also, it appears that the red dragon has escaped and is out wandering around the fire nation. I think you and I both know the dangers this portrays to the people of this country. The spirits will not take this matter lightly, and the red dragon is probably looking to avenge his other half. Keep a look out, nephew. And perhaps you should tell the Avatar to take a trip into the spirit world. We need more advice on how to deal with this, otherwise the winter and summer solstice will bring disaster to the human world._

_I know you're probably worried right now, but don't fret. You are a wise leader and I'm sure with the Avatar and his friends, you can stop this new threat._

_Remember destiny is always our friend, and you were destined to be Fire lord for a reason. Believe in yourself, dear nephew._

_With love,_

_Iroh_

Zuko grimaced as he looked at his hand. He had squeezed it so hard his nails had dug into his palm, causing little droplets of blood to spill.

"S**T!" was all Zuko could say as he put the letter back inside his shirt.

"Hey, Mr. Gloomy! Where are you?" Zuko scowled as Toph's voice rang in the distance.

"I'm not in the mood, Toph."

"Who said I was here to make you comfortable? Who cares about your mood?"

Toph grumbled as she slammed into the wall that was right next to Zuko's bedroom door. Toph felt her way into Zuko's room, a red mark plastered over her forehead.

"Stupid castle, can't walk without bumping into things... So, how's the business going?"

"Business?"

"You know being the Fire lord, taking over the country, everyone eating out of the palm of your hand…."

"It's not like that."

Toph smirked. "Oh, it is. Just depends on the way you look at it."

Toph continued to smile as Zuko glared. "Why are you here?"

"What do you think? To talk some sense into ya. Can't do it in the dining room because you wouldn't tell the truth anyway."

Zuko huffed as he felt a large thump on the left side of his bed. Toph lounged casually, taking breaks to flick dirt out of her nose. "So, what's the big secret?"

"Huh?"

"We all know you're hiding something. Go on. I won't tell fancy pants."

"Well, it's a long story. But to keep things short, you remember those two dragons me and Aang learned firebending from?"

"Yeah, you guys came back doing a dance form or something."

Zuko muttered under his breath. "It's not a dance form. It is a sacred art…"

"Yeah, yeah…Sokka didn't think so. You learned new skills, so now what?"

"One of the dragons is dead along with the chief."

Toph sat up from her position. "Okay, well that's not pretty, but how does it interfere with your work?"

"We promised the villagers that we wouldn't tell anyone about them, now they're out for revenge. Also, the red dragon is loose and we have rebellions forming all over the fire nation."

Toph tilted her head back and forth, pretending to be deep in thought "Well, that does sound difficult. But Aang's with you, so you have someone to share the burden with. You also know that we can always help, right? We can help look out for the dragon in case it goes anywhere else."

Zuko stared at Toph as she stared at the ceiling. "I haven't really told Aang any of this…"

Toph chuckled. "I could tell just from hearing you breathe. You better tell the kid before he gets mad. Aang's not a baby anymore. I think he can handle it." Toph jumped off the bed. "If he can handle engaging Katara, he can handle anything."

Zuko frowned. "Wait, they're engaged?"

"Heard them talking while I went on a walk close to the bridge. They never noticed me." Toph smirked softly. "It will be interesting once Sokka finds out. Especially if Katara decides to come with you guys..."

Zuko jumped. "WHAT!"

Toph just started laughing as Zuko fumed. "Really, you can't blame the kid. I mean, he'll probably tell you when he feels like it. ESPECIALLY if Katara comes…"

Toph smirked as she thought through different scenarios. _Oh, who cares. I'll tell Sokka early. Besides, this will bring more excitement to the table._

Toph smiled as she tried to head over to Zuko's doorway, but she ended up hitting his dresser instead. "Can you me get out of here?"

Zuko quickly led Toph to her guest room knowing she really didn't like asking for help. Zuko sighed as he tried to figure out how to break the news to a certain airbender.

...

Aang looked at Katara from behind as she packed her things with a flourish.

"Katara…"

"Aang, I've made my decision. I'm coming with you and you can't stop me."

Aang sighed in defeat. They had been discussing, or rather arguing, about the topic for two hours and he hadn't gained any ground.

"Okay, just give me some time to explain to Zuko first. He's not really expecting this."

"Zuko will be fine. I won't get in the way."

"I know…it's just…"

"Aang, I don't understand. You don't want me to come?"

"I do. Really. There's just been a lot of things going on right now. We've been trailing the LL Phoenix group for awhile and there are other rebellions on top of that. The fire nation is not the hottest spot to be at the moment, no pun intended."

"I think I will manage. Besides…" Katara turned to face Aang and all reasons to prevent her from coming strayed from his mind. Her eyes were sparkling and he could see how much she wanted to be with him.

"Katara…"

"I'll be supportive. I know how hard this job has been on you. Company will help you relax a little. I could easily help reduce your stress by performing simple healings. This can help you go into the Avatar state later on."

Aang smiled. "I guess I can't stop you, not when you're determined to see this through."

Aang suddenly grabbed Katara in a hug, his face caressing her cheeks as he inhaled her wonderful scent. "Thank you."

Katara sighed in content as she wrapped her arms tighter around Aang. "No problem." She whispered softly.

"Alright, lover birds, time to make some space..." Aang and Katara were shocked to see Sokka standing in between them, his eyes sparkling. He had a very cheesy 'trying-to-stay-cool' grin on his face.

"Okay, break it up. Don't make me say it again!"

"Sokka!"

Sokka turned on Katara, giving her a sweet smile. "You know that is a very interesting necklace, Katara, I wonder who gave it to you..." Sokka glanced at Aang for a second before continuing. "It looks a lot like a betrothal necklace, hmmm…"

Aang was really annoyed now and he didn't care if he endangered his life by stating the obvious. "Yes, Sokka, I gave it to her. Katara and I are engaged now. But, we're not getting married until Katara turns sixteen."

Sokka eyes were on fire as he glared at Aang, causing the young airbender to step back. Then Sokka broke into an earsplitting smile. "So you finally got the guts to do it, huh? After all these months!"

Aang mouth opened up in shock as Katara shook her head slowly.

Aang cleared his throat meaningfully. "So, you're not going to kill me?"

Sokka grabbed the confused boy in a bear hug. "No. I understand why you proposed early. The rules here are kind of stifling, aren't they sis?"

Katara was still shaking her head in disbelief, but she answered. "Yep. Way to strict."

Sokka continued to smile. "Well, I just have one condition for you both to make. You guys will marry when AANG turns sixteen. Oh, and don't even think about sleeping in a room until then." Sokka lowered his head in a dramatic fashion and whispered. "_Do I need to have the SEX talk?" _

Aang looked appalled. Katara smacked her head. "Come on, Sokka!"

"Good, I guess you guys don't need it then." Sokka smiled as Katara glared at him.

Sokka turned over to Aang and whispered a short note in his ear. "You're getting off easy, airhead. But if I find out you hurt Katara, I'll buy a new sword and kill you in your sleep."

Aang gulped as Sokka patted his shoulder cheerfully. "All right, have fun you two. But not too much fun." Sokka left the room leaving Katara and Aang speechless.

Aang frowned. "Who told him?"

Katara shrugged. "Probably Toph, You can never keep anything from that girl. I knew it was going to come out eventually."

Katara looked at Aang with relief. "You know, he was actually kind of nice about it, considering someone else told him first."

"Yeah, just glad to be in one piece."

Aang and Katara continued smiling at each other and their bodies started to unconsciously get closer and closer…

"Hey, I'm watching you two!" Sokka glared at the young couple from the door frame, a scowl plastered on his face.

Katara and Aang giggled, now that the worst was over. _Now I just have to tell Zuko. Yeah, shouldn't be too much of a problem…._

ooOOooOOooo

Zuko looked at his friends gathered behind him. He could see that everyone was preparing to leave and go their separate ways. He wished he could have focused more on them during his stay, but the fire nation needed him more than ever right now. Zuko didn't want to admit this, but he was itching to get back to his job.

Zuko watched as Aang came up to him. He could see how tall Aang was getting. _If he continues, he'll be only a couple inches shorter than me,_ Zuko thought to himself as the airbender stood before him.

Aang looked up into Zuko's eyes. There was nothing but honesty in those grey orbs of his.

"There's something I need tell you, Zuko. I would have told you earlier but, it kind of came…"

Zuko shook his head and cut the airbender off. "No, I have something important to tell you."

Aang stood still, listening closely as Zuko continued.

"Aang, the chief from the Sun Warrior village is dead along with the blue dragon. We're not sure who is the culprit, but it is probably due to the rebellion uprisings. The LL Phoenix group has gone into hiding, we've lost track of them. Also, the red dragon is out there in the fire nation or it could have gone to any of the four nations by now; unfortunately for us, the only way for us to calm the dragon down is for you to find a way to go into the spirit world."

Zuko took a deep breath as Aang continued to stare at him intensely, his grey eyes turning solid.

* * *

><p><strong>Alright, small attempt at trying to make a cliffy. Anyway, this took me awhile due to various life shattering moments and…stuff. Hoped you enjoyed, and don't worry. The next chapter definitely brings in the heat, as far as the dragon's concerned. Though, I don't know if I should go too far….hmmm. Also, I'll try to work Shen in more in the next chapter! Later!<strong>

**Last Edit: June 29 2012**


	8. Symptoms and Bad Advice: Part Two

**Alright, let's see if I can do a double update!**

**Zuko: You shouldn't say that if it isn't a double update…**

**Justice: But if it is a double update, then I would have proven myself reliable and correct in predicting something cool for the readers out there. XD**

**Zuko:…I don't get you.**

**Justice: And you never will, my friend…**

**Hired Help: WE DON'T OWN AVATAR THE LAST AIRBENDER, ALRIGHT!**

**Justice: (Rubs ears…) I think we need to hire someone else.**

**Zuko: (Scowls) Seriously, I paid good money for this…**

**Justice: *Ignores Zuko* Read and review everybody! **

Symptoms, Betrayals, and Bad Advice: Part Two

Aang stared at Zuko in disbelief as his brain tried to contain the new information. His head started pounding and Aang could feel his fists clenched tightly below. _Why, why do I feel so angry?_

Trying to keep his voice calm, Aang spoke. "Wait, so…the Blue dragon is dead?"

Zuko nodded. "And so is the Chief, which means the Sun Warriors are not too happy with us. They think we've blown their cover."

Aang snarled as he pictured the ones responsible for killing the blue dragon. He could barely keep the rage inside of him when he placed his hands on Zuko's shoulders. "Who's responsible?"

Zuko tried to lower Aang's arms. "So far, my leads haven't picked up any suspects yet."

Zuko could feel Aang's heavy breath on his chest and he could see that Aang's eyes looked _gold_ instead of grey. _Not again…_Zuko thought as Aang nearly lifted his body off the ground. His friends were starting to come over towards the two, but Zuko tried to signal with his eyes to keep them away.

Aang's body was tensed up and he looked like he was about to attack Zuko. Very slowly he lowered Zuko's body down and released his hands from Zuko's shoulders. Aang wasn't breathing heavily anymore, but his eyes hadn't returned to normal yet.

"So, they got away..." Aang said in a cold tone.

"Yes, but don't worry. We'll catch them soon, or maybe they'll reveal themselves. Killing a dragon is no easy matter, they may be trying to gain respect for themselves amongst the people." Zuko almost flinched as Aang's blazing eyes bored into him.

"When did you first here about this?"

Zuko glanced away from him. "I got the letter yesterday. It was written a week ago."

"Let me see it."

Zuko quickly handed Aang the parchment and watched as Aang glanced over it quickly.

Aang snarled when he finished the note. "We've lost them! How?"

"Huh?"

Aang glared at Zuko. "The LL Phoenix! How did they get away?"

Zuko sighed. "My sources aren't sure. It seems that everyone is going into hiding."

Aang shook his head with distaste. "You...kept this all from me…I can't believe you did that."

Zuko looked at Aang pleadingly as the airbender turned his head away. "Aang, I didn't want you worrying over it, not while the wedding was taking place. I wasn't trying to hurt you."

Aang ignored him and walked over to the others who had overheard the whole thing. Katara was shocked that Zuko could keep something so important from Aang, but she was even more surprised at the airbender's reaction. Sokka and Suki were trying to look discrete, not wanting to interrupt the conflict. Toph just whistled lowly, but listened with a sharp ear so she could detect the other's feelings better.

Aang stood right in front of Katara and she could see the cold determination in his blazing gold eyes. Katara gasped as Aang grabbed her hand firmly.

"I think you should stay here, Katara." His voice was extremely serious and Katara could sense that she wouldn't be able to change his mind this time.

"Aang…"

Sokka snapped then. "Well, that was harsh. Who do you think you are, grabbing my sister like that?"

Sokka sent his arm flying for Aang's face, but before it could connect Aang brought his hand up and blocked it. Now Sokka's fist was in Aang's tight grip. Sokka was about to kick him until he noticed Aang's eyes. It surprised him so much that he nearly tripped over his own legs.

Aang stared at Sokka calmly. "I'm doing this for her own good. There is a dragon loose, and some criminals are probably looking for it right now. It could be anywhere, so I need you guys to stay where you are so you can keep a look out. As for the Fire Nation, it is probably not safe for Katara to go there."

Aang released Sokka's hand causing Sokka to fall flat on his back. The fallen boy massaged his hand as his face turned sour from the pain.

Aang looked at the warrior without pity. "Sorry about that."

Sokka scowled in response still rubbing his hand. "What is wrong with you?"

Aang shook his head as the rage slowly started to fade away. "I…I don't know."

As his head began to clear Aang started to realize the actions he had committed. He looked at Katara, his golden eyes returning to its grey shade. "I'm sorry."

Aang ran back into his room while Katara looked at him from behind. Zuko dusted himself off and went to help Sokka get up. "Yeah, that's been happening a lot."

Sokka spat. "What, the freaky eyes or the bad temper?"

Zuko smirked. "Both. I think it has something to do with that weird power inside him."

Toph put her hands behind her head. "Well, you guys have bigger problems to worry about. You definitely need some help."

Zuko sighed. "I guess I can agree with that."

Toph punched Zuko in the arm. "Ow! What was that FOR?"

Toph shrugged innocently. "Keeping this from Aang. He's the Avatar. You can't let information like that slide past him."

Zuko looked at the direction Aang went. "Is it so wrong for me to want to preserve his innocence? I just don't want the stress to get to him."

Suki shook her head. "Well, it's obviously getting to him whether you like it or not. You're just making it worse."

Sokka grumbled under his breath. "I don't care what he says, even if he is the Avatar. Zuko, we're coming with you."

Zuko sighed exasperatingly. "Not a good idea, Sokka."

Toph laughed. "You can't get rid of us that easily, fire boy."

The others smiled and laughed as Zuko grumbled in annoyance. Katara sighed and looked into Aang's direction. "I'm going after him."

Before anyone could stop her, Katara had run off.

"Man! I can't believe this. Hey, wait for me!" Sokka started to run after Katara but Suki held him back.

"Give them some time alone."

Sokka glowered at the floor as the others nodded in agreement with Suki.

"Fine. Fifteen minutes, and then I'm going after them."

Suki sighed in defeat as Sokka stormed off.

…

Aang burst into his room and ran into his bed, his body still shaking with rage. He could barely keep himself from hitting something, his muscles tensing up to the point where it was almost painful.

_Get a grip on yourself, Aang! Pull it together before you hurt someone!_ Aang grimaced as he tried to put himself into the lotus position.

"I have…to try…" Aang muttered to himself as his body started sweating almost immediately from the effort. Aang breathed in and out through his nose as he felt a headache forming again in his head. Suddenly, a strong powerful force started pushing back in his mind and Aang had to work really hard to keep his body from collapsing onto the floor.

_No, whatever you are, it's not going to work this time!_ Aang growled as the unknown force kept pushing against him. It felt like his head was about to split open.

"Arghhhh!" Aang's eyes started glowing brightly, but it was red in color not blue. His body tensed up even more and he could feel the veins in his body pulsing.

_I'm going into the Avatar State_, Aang thought as his body glowed even more brightly.

ooOOOoOOoooo

Katara could see strange red lights coming from Aang's room. She quickly barged in and froze from the sight. Aang's body was red all over and Katara could spot multiple scales forming all over his body. Aang's hand had turned into large black claws and his back was starting to sprout wings that were getting larger by the minute. And his eyes, they were large and wide staring straight into Katara's blue ones.

Katara was to frozen to say anything as Aang's body continued to grow and form until the transformation was complete. The red dragon roared and blasted out of the room in a blur, destroying two walls in the process.

Katara stared at the hole with terror. "It's you. The dragon's power is in you!"

ooOOoooOOOOoo

Sokka was stomping over towards the dining room when he heard a large noise.

"Huh, what's happening now?" Sokka ran towards the sound.

He nearly tripped over himself for the second time when he saw the gaping hole extending from Aang's room into the hallway. "What the-"

"Sokka! We have to help Aang!" Sokka flinched as Katara charged into him. The breathless girl started panting as Sokka shook her shoulders. "You okay? What's going on?"

Katara tried to catch her breath. "Dragon…in...Aang..."

"WHAT? Where did he go?"

Katara pointed towards the hallway. "He went that way, but Sokka you should know…"

Sokka barely heard her as he ran across the hallway only to freeze in position when he saw what was in there.

Sokka gulped dramatically as the red dragon poised over him, teeth bared.

"Aang?"

The red dragon raised its head and blew fire out of its mouth, causing Sokka to run for his life back towards Katara.

"What is that thing? It can't be Aang can it? Katara say something!"

Katara didn't respond as she looked into the red dragon's eyes again. All she could see in those large golden orbs could only be described in one word: Pain

ooOOoooOOOOooo

Back in the fire nation, Shen was trying to decipher a secret map of the fire nation imperial palace. Unfortunately for him, the coding had been done a little too complex. He had no idea what he was looking at without the label his servants had put on the map.

"Fools, the only job they can do well enough to drive their master crazy. But when it comes to combat, weapon strategy, none of them can do one damn thing!"

Shen sighed and got up from his office. He had built it in the basement below the store. Being a clerk had its perks. For one thing, he had unlimited access to the stores supplies which meant he wouldn't have to worry about food or clothes. Shen appreciated hard work and sacrifice in life. He didn't need spoils or riches. So this lifestyle suited him just fine.

But right now, things were looking quite bleak for his group. "I need to find a warrior, someone to help these men get into shape. But who?"

Shen frowned as he placed his chin on his hand and drummed his fingernails against the desk. Then an idea popped into his head. He went through his parchments until he found what he was looking for; the map of a fire nation prison.

Shen smiled slowly. "Just what I needed…"

ooOOOooOOOooo

At the Northern Water tribe palace, Zuko was looking into the hallway with his mouth hanging open. _Well, I've found the dragon…_

The red dragon looked like it was ready to attack, but so far it hadn't moved an inch since Sokka had found it earlier. It looked almost like the dragon was confused as it moved its head back and forth between Zuko and Katara.

_Man! I can't kill it! I probably have to knock it out or something. But if I did that…_

Katara interrupted Zuko's thoughts. "I think I'll be able to calm him down."

Zuko ran over to where Katara was standing. "Sorry, what?"

"I'm….going to try and calm him down."

Zuko chuckled darkly. "I don't mean to be rude, Katara, but you can't tame a dragon."

Katara glared at Zuko. "I helped Aang calm down when he was in the Avatar state many times. I think I can do it again."

Zuko nearly flinched when he realized what Katara was implying. "That's HIM?"

Katara nodded. "I saw him change into that form while he was trying to enter the spirit world."

Zuko swore under his breath. "Now what?"

A loud voice interrupted Katara and Zuko. "Hey, guys. I can't see a thing in case you've forgotten!"

"Toph! Stop where you are!" Katara shouted in panic as she saw the dragon step towards Toph.

Toph froze as she felt a wave of hot air hit her in the face. "Good call," was all she could say as the dragon bent his head to look at her more closely.

Katara started walking closer to the dragon when Zuko grabbed her arm. "Katara, think for a second! You could get hurt!"

Katara yanked her arm away from his grasp. "Aang won't hurt me," She said as she walked all the way until she was underneath the dragon's body.

Zuko shook his head and watched the two forms anxiously. Toph just stayed frozen in place as she strained her ears to listen.

The red dragon slowly lowered its head, his golden eyes staring straight into Katara's. The waterbender patted the dragon's nose softly. "It's okay, you're going to be alright. You're safe with me."

The dragon's eyes closed as it leaned its head lower into Katara's hand. The dragon's form started to grow smaller as the scales became shorter and softer. In a burst of light the dragon disappeared leaving Aang in Katara's arms. She gasped as she noticed the blood flowing from a head wound as Aang coughed in her arms. His body shook uncontrollably as his grey, tired eyes looked up at Katara.

"I'm…sorry…" was all he could say before passing out.

* * *

><p><strong>Whew, yay I made it! Hope you enjoyed this chapter! :D<strong>

**Last Edit: June 30 2012 **


	9. Symptoms and Bad Advice:Part Three

**Hey everyone! I know it may seem like a long time to some of you, but I have been very busy. Anyway, just so everyone knows, this chapter takes place when Aang is still in dragon form. While his body was in the avatar state, Aang went into the spirit world. So when Aang gets back into the physical world he passes out (which is where the last chapter left off). I hope that makes this less confusing…**

**Disclaimer: You guys know I don't own any of this stuff except for Shen, right? Okay, then on with the show! :D**

Symptoms, Betrayals, and Bad Advice: Part Three

Aang huffed with exhaustion as he pushed himself off the ground. Getting into the Spirit World had been very tough indeed, but he had finally done it.

Aang couldn't help smiling as he walked slowly through the ever growing vines and weeds present in the spirit world swamp.

The swamp in the spirit world was very cold and damp causing the young airbender to shiver. His clothes were also getting very dirty as he walked through muddy puddles. Aang sniffed the air and noticed how foul it was. The spirit world seemed different to him somehow. It seemed more ominous giving the atmosphere a sort of 'dead' feeling to it.

Aang could also feel his spirit threatening to be sucked back into his physical body. A frightening thought came to the young Avatar as he realized he might not be able to keep his body there for that long. He had to find Avatar Roku quickly before it was too late.

Aang started running through the swamp, racing as fast as his legs could carry him. He nearly ran straight into a tree before a huge bolt of lightning stopped him in his tracks. Suddenly, the tall form of Avatar Roku appeared before Aang causing the airbender to trip backwards.

Roku chuckled as Aang's body relaxed. "It's good to see you, Aang."

The older Avatar helped his reincarnation get up and proceeded in helping the young airbender dust himself off.

"It's great to see you too, Roku. I have been trying to come back here for awhile, but something kept blocking me out."

Roku gave Aang a knowing look before turning away. "Let's go for a walk. I'm sure you would rather discuss your new concerns in a more comfortable location."

Aang smiled brightly. "Yeah, that would be great."

The two Avatars started walking out of the swamp. As they kept moving the landscape gradually began to change. Slowly the muddy greens and nasty browns disappeared into bright reds and golden yellows as Aang and Roku entered a fire nation temple. It was the same temple where Roku had learned to master the Avatar State long ago many years ago when he was an inexperienced Avatar. Aang smiled, proud to achieve the same accomplishment as his past life.

Roku and Aang sat down on the fire nation rug located in the middle of the room.

"I have something of great importance to tell you Aang, but don't worry about it at this moment. Right now, I want to hear your concerns first."

Aang bowed respectively. "Thank you. For starters, I would like to receive some advice from you on how to deal with the new rebellions in the fire nation."

Roku gave Aang a serene smile. "I don't think you need my advice on that. What you need is more confidence. You've already shown your ability to deal with situations like this by defeating the fire lord. Have faith in yourself, and the answer will come to you."

The young airbender tried not to huff impatiently. "I know, but that was just one battle. I don't have any experience in politics or anything close like this. I've tried to show other authorities my thoughts on how to solve the conflicts, but they think I'm too naïve and immature to pull it off."

Aang frowned as he remembered the meeting with General Shino of the Earth Kingdom.

"Now that you have restored peace to the four nations, the people look to you now more than ever. If you make a decision and stand by it, you will gain respect from everyone whether they are the authorities or just plain citizens. You now set an example for other's so your decisions and behavior are being watched and critiqued. That means that your allies and your enemies are all keeping track. Every Avatar goes through this, Aang, especially ones who drastically change history."

Aang looked at Roku, trying to keep his expression from becoming bitter. "So, you really think I can do that?"

Roku nodded. "You have influence over many people's lives now, therefore actions such as this are now added on as part of your responsibility as the Avatar."

Aang nodded sadly. "I guess that means less time for fun, huh? I'm going to turn into a serious, old prune…"

Roku chuckled softly. "So that's what you perceive of me, is it?"

Aang's eyes widened as he shook his head forcefully. "Oh, no! I didn't mean that!"

"Don't worry, Aang. I'm not offended by the comment. But I will point out that your assumption is completely false."

Aang's posture relaxed as he saw compassion in the older Avatar's eyes. "There is always time to have fun. Even though it may seem really serious right now, you will have plenty of time to experience the joyful moments to. Remember, life is always balanced."

Aang smiled. "Life is balanced, just like Yin and Yang."

Roku nodded. "Yes. Yin and Yang is one of the most ancient principles in this world. Only the oldest spirits truly understand the concept, like the moon and the ocean for example. Everything can be traced back to yin and yang…"

"Right."

"So, is there anything else that's on your mind?"

Aang frowned as his he bent his head in concentration. "Actually, yes there is. I need to find the red dragon. Right now Zuko and I suspect that it is still in the fire nation. The dragon is very mad because it's perfect half, the blue dragon, was killed by one of the rebel groups. If we don't find it soon, the people of the fire nation will become a victim of the dragon's wrath."

Roku looked at Aang solemnly. "Yes, the dragon's wrath will put the world in jeopardy if it isn't found and tamed…."

Aang nodded. "So, do you know where it is?"

"Yes, I know…"

The young airbender sat patiently waiting for the answer, but none came. Aang looked at Avatar Roku warily. He seemed to be hesitating for some reason.

"Roku, is something wrong?"

Roku looked Aang squarely in the face. "The dragon is in the Northern Water Tribe."

Aang jumped into a standing position, his eyes blazing. "That's where my friends are! How could that be?"

The young airbender paced back and forth as Roku continued to stare at him solemnly.

Aang balled his hands into fists as his body tensed. "I don't understand! We would have noticed if a dragon was there. I mean, the place is made out of ice! The dragon could have easily melted the whole palace right now…"

"No, but it could if you don't leave soon."

Aang stared at Roku sadly. "I still have so much to ask you. But, I promise that I will come back as soon as I can."

Roku closed his eyes slowly. "I'm sorry, Aang, but you must not come back here."

The young Avatar froze abruptly. "What do you mean I can't come back?"

Roku quickly stood up and stared into Aang's eyes, hard gold into shattered specks of grey. "The dragon is you."

Aang stood still for a minute, trying to process what that meant. He frowned. "I'm not a dragon."

"As you enter the Spirit World, the dragon takes your form. It is currently using your body, or should I say, transformed your body into its own form."

Aang shrieked. "WHAT! It's…using MY body!"

Roku nodded. "I am using a special technique that allows the time here to flow differently than the one located in the physical world. Even though we have been talking for a while, it has only been a few minutes for your friends. So I'm sure the damage is quite minimal."

This only caused Aang to panic more as his breathing started to become more ragged. "How do I go back?"

"The same way you came here, though you are going to have to fight for it. It will probably take the same amount of effort as it took for you to come here."

Aang nodded as he prepared to run away. Before he could dash of, Roku took a hold of the airbender's arm.

"Don't lose strength no matter how painful it gets. And don't worry. I'm sure your friends will help you increase your power enough to come here again."

"Thanks, Roku."

Aang ran as fast as his legs could carry him as Roku watched from afar. "We will see each other again, Aang. When the time is right…"

After he spoke, Roku disappeared as Aang left the temple. After a few seconds the temple disappeared bringing back the dirty, swampy landscape. Aang panted heavily as he stopped to soothe his aching muscles.

Aang closed his eyes as he tried to let his spirit return into his body. The airbender grimaced as he felt an odd pulling sensation. It was even worse than the force from earlier that had blocked him from entering the spirit swamp. Aang could feel his head burn as sweat began to form on his brow. With all his might, Aang pushed back against what he knew now to be the dragon's power. The airbender's muscles were straining themselves beyond belief and he could feel himself getting ready to black out.

_No! I can't let the other's get hurt! Please, spirits, send me back!_

Aang gritted his teeth as he gave another mental shove. Right before his muscles exploded, Aang felt himself disappearing from the swamp and entering another form entirely. He could now see his friends running away in fear of him as the dragon roared loudly. Aang came to the realization that he was now looking at everything the dragon sees and could feel the movements the dragon's body was making. He almost thought he was a dragon himself. It was utter chaos inside the dragon's head and the pain was starting to become excruciating. Aang growled as the pain entered his head causing him to scream.

As he screamed, Aang felt the sensation of fire coming out of his mouth. He looked and through the dragon's eyes he saw fireballs blasting here and there causing the water tribe palace building to crumble. Aang could tell that it was the hallway as he saw Katara and Zuko approach him. Katara's eyes were a sea of emotions: Pain, worry, terror, and determination. Aang looked into those eyes and felt a shudder go through his own aching body. He couldn't hurt her. He wouldn't!

Aang started shoving with his mind, his spirit body moving violently in the dragon's mind. He screamed and pushed until he felt his body burn from the effort. Pain poured in from all sides: his legs, his arms, his face, and especially his head. But instead of stopping, Aang gave one more rough push. And that's when everything collapsed.

oooOOoooOOOOoooo

Aang shivered as his skin tingled from the cold and the mental battle. He could barely repress a moan as he felt soft, warm hands cradling him.

Aang opened his eyes bleakly. He could hazily make out Katara's face as she brought it closer to him. Her deep blue eyes stared at him with pain and worry. Aang coughed roughly as he struggled to raise his voice.

"I'm…sorry..." was all the tired airbender could mutter as he welcomed the darkness that enveloped him.

oooOooOOOOooooooo

Shen smiled as he entered a cold prison cell. _It was just too easy!_

Normally, Shen tried to not let his ego get to his head. But he just couldn't help himself. Breaking into the prison had taken only fifteen minutes, and half of his forces were nonbenders. Shen knew he was overconfident and he had really hoped this challenge would help him with restraint. Unfortunately, the whole event was doing the exact opposite. Naturally, Shen simply didn't care.

"I'm here to give you the opportunity of a lifetime. Come with me, and together we will restore the fire nation and its powerful leader. And if you play nice, we might just be able to give you what your heart desires most."

The prisoner chuckled darkly, and Shen could feel sparks of electricity in the person's form. "And what might that be?"

The prisoner's voice was very quiet, but Shen could detect the dark undercurrent being sent towards him along with the question. This person was said to be able to induce fear in every man, but Shen was not affected. He smiled brightly. _Oh, yes. She will make the perfect soldier. I should have broken her out a long time ago._

Shen gave the prisoner a nasty smile. "I'm sure you are itching to get back at Zuko, to finally make him feel the pain that you felt."

Shen went down to his knees and went closer to the girl. "Vengeance is what you seek, is it not? Fire Lord Azula?"

Azula was lying on the floor. She was dressed in nothing but rags and her long black hair was tangled and messy. Her hair covered her entire face except for her mouth, which had formed into a very crazy looking smile.

"Zuko….will…. .die…."

Shen's eyes sparkled with excitement as he smirked loudly. "Once we capture the Avatar, Zuko will come. And then he will be all yours."

Shen stood up and brought his hand down to help Azula get up. She took his hand, her long nails digging into his palm…

* * *

><p><strong>And…Finished! Whoo, this took me a very long time. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I'm too tired to type any more so…<strong>

**See you later!**

**Last Edit: June 30 2012**


	10. Recovering and The Rising Threats

**Hey everyone! This story is moving along very nicely. I hope you guys like this! I'll continue the author note at the end so that I won't hog your time...**

**Disclaimer: Okay, I'll be honest. I don't own anything except for Shen and the LL Phoenix guys. I'm getting pretty tired of saying this...**

Recovering and The Rising threats

_Sometimes when you wake up you get the sense that everything you've ever done was for nothing. That life just isn't worth it, as if the world is lying on your shoulders forcing you to give up…_

This is how Aang felt as he continued to stare at the ceiling. Of course, this isn't what he was going to do. He was definitely not going to abandon his responsibilities just because life had kicked him in the butt. Feeling something and acting on those feelings were two different things entirely.

But, obviously, as of this moment Aang felt like crap. He didn't know how long he had been out or how long it was going to take his body to recover from his new wounds. Right now he was just content with staring into the ceiling.

To some people, Aang's behavior might have seemed childish, but if they were in the young avatar's position they would probably do the same. Stare stubbornly into the distance.

His body felt strange to him. He could tell that he had gotten himself in pretty bad shape. There were new bruises located all over his back and his stomach. A bandage was tightly wrapped around Aang's forehead. And his wrists had been wrapped along with his fingers, letting no skin show giving him the appearance of a mummy.

But all that was nothing compared to how Aang felt now. He didn't feel any pain what so ever. _None_. Instead he felt hot inside as the scorching power of the dragon ran through his veins. He was aware of it now, almost like he could feel the others with his feet in the fire nation palace with earthbending if he wanted to. Aang didn't really have enough energy to yell at his friends for coming to the fire nation against his wishes. No, he was too occupied with the roof over his head at the moment.

It was shocking to Aang that he had never noticed the dragon's power until Roku pointed it out for him. It explained so much; why Aang's temper had increased, the firebending training...

The young avatar sighed as his eyes remained glued to the ceiling. What was he supposed to do with all this _power_ coursing through his body? It was like his body was urging him to do something: to fight, to firebend, to eat, to yell, to run…to do something!

_It must be because I'm trying to hold all the power in_, Aang thought to himself as his body shivered uncontrollably.

The young airbender closed his eyes as he felt his muscles pop with the stress of trying to force the dragon within him away.

_I have to figure out what to do fast, before this gets out of hand..._

oooOOOooOOoooo

Katara entered Aang's room slowly, trying her best not to disturb the airbender's sleep.

It had taken a while for him to calm him down to the point where he could rest. During the first week, all Aang did was scream for them to go away or firebend until they were forced to leave while Zuko calmed down the fires. It was very surreal because Aang never remembered the fights or the encounters the next day but his reactions remained the same. It had made it almost impossible to heal his wounds, so the gang just settled for letting him have his privacy. They would leave his food by the door and try to stay clear when he came down to use the bathroom. No one had talked to him for six days and no one dared to enter his room anymore unless he was asleep.

Katara took a deep breath as she took a couple of steps closer to Aang's bed. Out of all of them, Aang seemed to become the most upset when Katara was near him. His eyes would flash, grey and gold specks sparkling, as he would struggle to get away from her. One time he locked himself in his own closet until they had assured him that Katara had left the room.

It was completely terrifying and painful for Katara to experience. But she wasn't giving up on Aang yet. She was going to stay by his side no matter what until he was properly healed.

"Aang?"

Katara gasped in shock when she realized that the airbender was awake. He didn't talk or acknowledge that she was present, but the waterbender could see the boy's body shivering as his hands clenched into fists. But he didn't run away. He still hadn't kicked her out. _Yet._

"Aang, it's me. I...I hope you're feeling better. Would you mind if I tried to do something about your back?"

The boy could only nod as he continued to stare at the ceiling. Katara sighed as she saw all the bandages and scars on the airbender's body. _He must barely be able to move,_ the waterbender thought as she sat on the Aang's bed gently beside him causing another round of trembles.

Katara took another deep breath as she took out some of the water in her pouch.

"Look, I'm just going to turn you over so I can work on your back, alright? I'm not going to hurt you."

Aang gave her another nod as he slowly turned himself onto his back.

_Okay, this is definitely progress..._Katara thought as she remembered the airbender's behavior from before.

Katara slowly began to loosen up Aang's shirt and take it off. Then she started stripping off the bandages until they were gone as the deep scars on Aang's back were shown. Katara drenched her hands with water and slowly ran them down the airbender's back, the water glowing like moonlight. The water was soaking into Aang's skin and the scars started to slowly fade into red rather than the dark, bloody color it was before. Katara heard a low moan coming from the airbender's throat.

"Is everything all right? If this is too fast for you, let me know."

Aang shook his head as he spoke slowly. "No...just...please don't stop."

Katara nodded as she continued healing his back. She could feel Aang's muscles relax beneath her hands as the young boy leaned into her hands more, breathing heavily.

Katara was almost done when Aang turned around suddenly causing the waterbender to fall into his chest. Katara gasped as she realized the position she was in. The waterbender tried in vain to control her breathing as she inhaled Aang's scent.

"Aang...I wasn't finished..."

Aang shook his head as he gripped Katara's shoulders tightly. "You should go now. I'm...that's okay for now."

Katara looked into Aang's eyes and saw that they were yellow. Not completely yellow, there were still specks of grey in them. But Katara decided it was time to give Aang some space as she quickly got off of Aang's bed.

"Alright. I'll check on you later..."

Aang nodded as Katara walked out and closed the door.

oooOOoooOooo

Aang sighed as Katara left the room. Then he took a deep breath. He could feel his eyes glaze over as his muscles nearly burst from the strain. Katara's back rub had made it even harder to hold back all of the power. He couldn't have her in his room while he exploded.

The airbender swiftly jumped out of his bed while fire shot out of his fingers. He could feel his feet getting warmer and could tell that fire was starting to pour out of his toes as well. Aang quickly started pumping his fists out letting the fire consume everything in his room: The shelves, his desks, random books, and a mirror. All of this was incinerated in about five seconds.

Aang was surprised to see that his bed wasn't damaged. He stopped firebending and stared at it for a moment. Then he started stomping on his bed with his feet, just using raw muscle. His feet ached and protested in pain, but Aang couldn't really feel it so he kept pounding obliviously.

Once his bed was broken beyond repair Aang looked around his room. It was still on fire in some areas, spreading like wildfire towards the door. Aang sucked in another deep breath as he gathered all the fire in his room around him. Soon there was a ring of fire surrounding him, and Aang felt the urge to shoot it somewhere. He couldn't hold it in for too long.

Aang glanced around his room anxiously, looking for somewhere to get rid of the inferno. He sighed with relief when he spotted his window across from him. Aang quickly gathered all the force of the fire into his hands. He could feel the heat nearly burning his fingers from the close contact. With a huge gust of air, Aang pushed his hands towards the window.

The fire shot out like a bullet, piercing the window like a knife through a piece of wood. The glass shattered almost instantly, allowing the fire to soar into the sky out the window. Smoke spread throughout Aang's room making it almost impossible to breathe. Aang held his breath until the last of the fire was out.

Panting, the airbender let out a shaky breath before sitting on the ground. There was soot everywhere and smoke was still coming out of the walls. The temperature was scorching causing sweat to run down Aang's back. Some of his wounds had opened up with the movements he had unleashed earlier, but Aang still couldn't feel a thing. It was like his body was completely numb.

Aang continued to pant softly as he curled himself into a ball in the middle of his room.

oooOOoooOoooo

Zuko was really trying not to lose his temper, he really was.

But today was just not his day. As was most of the entire week.

Zuko huffed impatiently while Sokka chattered away.

"So all I'm saying is that if your guards try to attack me one more time, they are going to have to face the power of the BOOMERANG!"

Zuko placed his hands over his ears at the comment while Sokka pulled out his boomerang dramatically, daring someone to challenge him.

"Sokka, I'm trying to think over here!"

The warrior huffed impatiently. "Relax Zuko. It's not like a bomb is going to blow up here or something. You need to chill."

Before Sokka could get the sentence out, the two men shook when they heard the sound of furniture being trashed and the sound of fire cackling from upstairs.

"Aw, is he at it again? That's the third time this week!"

Zuko sighed with frustration. "We're just going to have to hope that Judis will be here soon. I can't believe he decided to go on vacation during a time like this!"

Sokka shrugged. "Well, we took a vacation. What were you expecting?"

Zuko snarled. "It was not a vacation. It was a formal event!"

"Yeah, but you weren't in your office, so you took a break. Not that it did you any good. It seemed like you got even more stressed by the time we left the Northern Water Tribe."

Zuko glared at Sokka. "I have a right to be. My sister, Azula, has escaped."

Sokka jumped. "Wait WHAT? I thought she was at the boiling rock!"

Zuko shook his head. "I was a fool and let one of my top wardens place her in a mental prison. They were trying to give her medical treatments to help with the...insanity issues."

Sokka smirked at that. "Well, I guess it didn't work."

"No you don't get it. No one knew about this except for me and some of the warden's assistants. The only way she could have gotten out was if someone from the inside alerted others in the city..."

Sokka lifted an eyebrow. "So, you're saying one of the prison guards was a traitor?"

Zuko nodded. "It looks that way..."

Sokka stood back against the wall, trying to take in all the information.

"Wow, I do not envy your position."

Zuko simply grunted as he stood up. "Yeah, no one really understands how hard this job is."

Katara walked into the living room. "Hey guys. Do you mind if I check up on Aang?"

Zuko sighed. "You just did, didn't you? Is that why he's destroying his room?"

Katara frowned. "It wasn't me. He started doing that after I left."

Sokka looked at Katara with sympathy. "I think we should just give him more space. It's going to take a while before he's comfortable with seeing us again."

Zuko's eyes widened. "Wait a minute. Aang didn't attack you?"

Katara shook her head furiously. "Of course not! He actually let me heal up some of his wounds this time."

Sokka jumped again. "YOU DID WHAT?"

The Katara couldn't help rolling her eyes at Sokka's reaction. "I healed his back, okay."

"Katara, you know it's dangerous to touch him right now! He could barely keep from clawing us to shreds when we carried him to his room! You have to be more careful."

The waterbender glared at her brother. "This is Aang we're talking about! He wouldn't hurt me!"

"He's a DRAGON, Katara, a fire breathing, havoc making, freaking animal of nature! What if he transforms again?"

Katara shrugged. "Then I'll calm him down."

Sokka spluttered in shock while Zuko patted his shoulder.

"Give it a rest Sokka. I have to tell Aang something."

Sokka stared at Zuko wide eyed. "You're telling him now?"

The older firebender sighed. "I can't keep these types of things from him anymore. If he can handle seeing me, then I'm ready to talk."

Sokka shrugged. "It's you're funeral."

Katara shook her head. "I cannot believe you're married."

Zuko chuckled at the comment before heading up the stairs.

Zuko sighed as his serious expression went back on his face. He had been really worried about the airbender. Zuko felt like most of this had been his fault. He just wanted Aang to get well. He definitely didn't want to tell him anymore bad news. But that was one of the perks to being the fire lord.

_Hurray for me_, Zuko thought bitterly.

The stressed out firebender entered Aang's room warily, then froze at the sight.

The room was so battered that Zuko would have thought a tornado had run through the place. There was soot all over the walls and the floor. Many of the furniture had been broken into small pieces of wood and there were small specks of fire on the rugs and tattered bedspreads. What shocked Zuko the most was the small airbender huddled in the middle. His body was covered in soot and there were new scratches and cuts all over his back.

Zuko flinched involuntarily as Aang slowly lifted his head up. His eyes were gold again, and it was hard for Zuko to fathom but from this distance they appeared to be glowing.

"Ah...are you okay, Aang?"

Aang flinched at the sound of Zuko's voice, even though the firebender hadn't spoken that loudly.

"I...I...feel...weird."

Zuko sighed. "Yeah, you've been having a rough week, huh. I didn't think I would be able to talk to you like this...so..."

The firebender paused as he thought of the right way to tell Aang the news.

"I'll pay...for the room I mean."

Zuko gasped as Aang stood up slowly. "No, you don't have too. I...it's just...you should take it easy alright. You've already opened up your wounds from last time. Rest some more."

Zuko felt guilty about holding of the news about Azula, but he wasn't sure if Aang could handle it right now.

Aang squared his shoulders while he tilted his neck. "How long have I been out?"

Zuko stuttered. "What do you mean? You've been awake for it least a week and a half. Oh, that's right. You don't remember do you?"

Aang shrugged while he raised his hands to rub his eyes. He stopped when he noticed the burns on them. "No, not really."

Zuko huffed out another sigh. "Okay, well...um...are you hungry?"

"I'm starving!" Aang said this louder then he meant to, causing Zuko to flinch again.

Aang saw Zuko's expression and gave him a sad smile. "Sorry, I'm just...really hungry."

Zuko nodded. "Right."

In his mind Zuko was chanting, _you will tell him during dinner, you will tell him during dinner, you will tell him during dinner._

Zuko nodded. "Alright, so...I'll help you down the stairs."

Aang smiled more brightly. "It's okay. I can do it."

Zuko looked at the airbender's scars and bruises more closely. "You sure about that?"

Aang smiled again but to Zuko it looked sort of desperate. "Yeah, it's nothing really."

The firebender just shrugged as the two headed down the stairs.

oooOOOooOOooo

Shen smiled as his crew entered the new ship he had bought for them.

"Hello, everyone. I see you guys have caught some well needed rest, yes?"

Jack and most of the group nodded while some just shrugged.

Shen smiled at them. "I'm here to tell you that we have a new member on the team. I'm sure you know this person well. She's been in the papers quite a lot actually..."

Azula stepped out on the deck. Some of the men gasped while others cowered before her. Jack himself thought he was going to wet himself. Many of the men were starting to give Shen, 'Are you crazy!' faces along with, 'We're in trouble' faces.

"That's right, men. Here we have the rightful fire lord, princess Azula. Just don't call her that. It's for introductions only. She will help us return the Phoenix King back to his throne while we also eliminate the avatar and the current fire lord. Are we clear on that?"

Everyone nodded immediately.

"Good. Also, Azula's going to be in charge of the 'disciplinary' aspects of our training. Anyone who questions me shall answer to her, and anyone who questions her...well I'm sure you already know what happens when you question the fire lord. Right boys?"

Another fast nod.

"Excellent. Then I'll let you see just one demonstration just so that we all understand each other."

People were starting to shake now and some of the men were starting to inch over towards the end of the ship's deck.

Shen smiled at the fear he was producing. _Oh, they don't know the half of it._

"Jonathon, come here."

A slightly lean, skinny soldier appeared before Shen. His legs were shaking badly.

"Yes...sir..."

Shen gave John a mockingly low bow. "You have the honor of dueling fire lord, Azula."

John literally wet his pants right on the spot. "Uh...I...I will happily accept...the...honor...of which...you..."

Shen cut him off and spoke to Azula. "Finish him."

The man started pleading for mercy but Azula pounced on him like a tiger does with its prey. The battle lasted for only about thirty seconds. The men outside the fight couldn't look away, their eyes bugging out due to terror. Some of the men jumped overboard and started swimming away.

Azula stepped back from John in triumph. John was trembling from head to toe now with bruises all over along with a burned leg and arm.

Shen smiled at John and pushed him back towards the group. "So as you can see, I really mean business. This isn't elementary school. This is the real world, and we're not going to beat the avatar when we can barely withstand a simple firebending brawl."

Azula laughed manically as if to further drive in Shen's point. Many of the men flinched at the sound of her voice while others simply glanced at the ocean, seeing if they could make a run for it.

Shen smirked. "There are definitely going to be some changes around here. You can be sure of that..."

Shen smiled as he turned to look at the fire nation royal palace from a distance. _Now, if only we could do something about those annoying guards..._

oooOOOOoOooo

Aang tried to relax at the dinner table, but his body didn't seem to be listening. His fit in the room did nothing to quiet the energy inside him. In fact, it just made him want to do more then what he had done earlier. And that wasn't good.

Sokka coughed abruptly. "So, Zuko, you had something important you wanted to tell us?"

Zuko stuttered. "Oh, yeah. That's right. I do have something to say."

Toph smirked. "Well we're not getting any younger. Don't hold back on us like you did last time."

Suki and Katara nodded in agreement while Aang just stared at Zuko.

Zuko nodded as he felt sweat coming down his forehead. "Yeah, so...Azula's escaped from prison."

The gasps were heard all around the table as Toph spat out the juice she had began drinking.

"Wow that is big news. And here I thought it was just some boring war meeting."

Zuko shrugged. "Well, there's that to."

Suki sighed. "Well, it least Ty Lee and Mai are on our side this time around. Can you imagine how hard it would be if we had to fight them all together?"

Sokka smiled at his wife. "I don't think that makes the situation any better."

Suki growled as Sokka started gulping down his food again.

Katara rested her head against the palm of her hands.

"So, we just find her and send her back to prison. Doesn't seem too hard."

Zuko stared at Katara incredulously. "Excuse me?"

"We've beaten her before, Zuko. If we can do it, all of our forces combined will surely stop her."

Aang nodded in agreement. He didn't feel like speaking at the moment. He was to focused on trying to keep his power bottled up inside.

Zuko saw Aang's expression and tried to ease the airbender's pain.

"Don't worry, Aang. Judis should be here soon. I'm sure he'll be very happy to help you with this 'dragon' situation."

Aang just nodded again as he clenched his hands against the table.

Zuko sighed as he continued to look at Aang. Normally saying something like that would cause Aang to have a hissy fit considering his feelings for the doctor. Getting silence instead was slightly unnerving.

"So, do you think you're up for another meeting with General Shino?"

Katara scowled at Zuko. "He just wakes up and that's all you have to say to him? To get ready for a meeting?"

Zuko glared at Katara. "Well what else am I supposed to do? This all happened because I was dumb enough to hide this kind of stuff from him, and now you're telling me to go easy on him? How am I supposed to do my job if I can't tell him anything?"

Katara glared back at him. "I'm saying as a friend you should show some more concern for him, not go all 'fire lord' and yell at him!"

Zuko struck the table in frustration. "Do you know how hard it is to worry about fifteen things at the same time? You naive little..."

"It least I have better control over my temper, you overbearing, controlling..."

"**Could you both just SHUT UP?**"

Katara and Zuko gasped at the sound of Aang's voice. Sokka couldn't help but laugh while Suki stared at Aang strangely. Toph smirked.

Aang growled. "What's so funny? Seriously guys, can't we all just eat in peace?"

Katara looked at Aang then coughed abruptly. "Wow, you...your...voice changed."

Aang gawked at Katara. "My voice did what now?"

Sokka broke out into loud chuckles while Suki smiled at Aang sympathetically. Toph was still smirking.

Zuko stated the obvious. "You're voice got a whole lot deeper."

Aang opened his mouth in shock. "It...it is? You really think so?"

Sokka gulped down his food then laughed loudly. "Ha ha, our Aang is going through puberty, Ha ha ha!"

Toph shrugged. "Or the dragon inside him could be messing with his vocal chords."

Aang shook his head disbelievingly. "I'd rather go with the puberty theory..."

Sokka gave Aang an air high five. "It's about time!"

Zuko smiled. "Man, you're really getting old."

Aang glared at Zuko. "Yeah, that's not funny..."

Katara smiled at him sweetly. "I'm glad to see that you're growing. Maybe soon you'll be taller than me."

Aang stared into Katara's deep eyes. He smiled back lightly. "Yeah..."

Sokka smiled at his sister and Aang. "Well, now that that's settled, let's finish eating before we get to the serious stuff."

Everyone agreed with this and started digging back into their food.

* * *

><p><strong>Alright! This took me longer than usual. But I'm so happy with the way it turned out. I was so excited when I wrote this chapter! XD<strong>

**Last Edit: June 30 2012**

**I hope you guys enjoyed this! Let me know what you think about Aang's voice change!**

**Later! :)**


	11. The First Blow

**Wow! So far this story has 1,182 hits and 29 reviews! Thank you so much! :D**

**Sorry for the long wait, but I have to really hit on the homework. Also updates may start to get a little slower once school starts...**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything...except for Shen...**

The First Blow...

Aang shifted from side to side as his friends finished eating their meal. Now that there was food in his stomach, he no longer felt numb. His muscles ached from the strain of earlier activities. Aang could also feel the wound in his back opening up.

Aang sucked in a breath as he tried to prevent himself from screaming out. Now that his voice was deeper talking felt sort of weird.

Sokka belched loudly. "Alright, now let's get to the good stuff!"

He cracked his muscles expectantly while Suki rolled her eyes beside him. Zuko huffed impatiently.

"We all ready now?"

Toph smirked. "Just get on with it, Sparky. We don't have all day."

Katara sighed. "Well, maybe we should postpone this for tomorrow. I don't think Aang should worry about this. He needs to rest more."

Katara and jumped when she heard Aang's growl beside her. "I can speak for myself!"

Katara flinched as Aang's now yellow eyes pierced her face. "I...I didn't mean..."

Aang placed his fingers on the bridge of his nose as he tried to control himself. "Just tell us what to do Zuko..."

Zuko sighed. "I know you still have a lot of recovering to do. But I'm afraid we're all just going to have to deal with the circumstances, no matter how uncomfortable some of us might be..."

Katara closed her eyes slowly while Toph nodded. Sokka and Suki stared at Zuko sympathetically while Aang just focused on controlling his breathing.

Zuko continued. "So now that Azula has escaped, we're going to have to figure out how to prevent her from destroying the city."

Suki chose this moment to intervene. "Don't you think that sounds kind of...I don't know, a little too dramatic?"

"This is Azula we're talking about. And she is insane! She will destroy everything unless she gets her vengeance."

Sokka raised an eyebrow. "So she wants revenge. Do you think she's after you?"

"I _know_ she's after me. She practically described my death the last time I visited her..."

Sokka shrugged. "It's simple then. We can use Zuko as bait. Then while Azula is distracted Aang swoops in and bam! He delivers the final blow."

Sokka puffed his chest proudly as Suki stared at him.

Katara shook her head. "That's...I think that's cutting it close."

Sokka glared at his sister. "What are you talking about? Aang can just do his avatar thing and we're clear to go."

Zuko nodded. "If we can take Azula's bending, she'll be very vulnerable. Then we'll be able to send her back to prison without a problem."

Toph shrugged. "The plan seems okay. But I don't know if Twinkletoes can control himself long enough to do his avatar thing. Also, do you even know where Azula is?"

Zuko furrowed his brow. "She can't have left the fire nation. It hasn't been that long since the prison break out."

Katara sighed. "When did you say Judis was coming back again?"

"I'm not sure. A messeng was sent to me this morning. He should be here soon."

Aang grimaced as he felt his body heat up as power surged violently within him. "Let's just hope he hurries up. I can't keep this up for much longer..."

Katara glanced at Aang warily. "Perhaps you should rest now..."

Aang glared at her. "My bed is gone, remember?"

"All by your own doing might I add…" Sokka smirked as he said this while Suki sighed beside him.

Toph groaned. "Could you quit talking, snoozles? Your just making everyone feel worse..."

Sokka pouted, offended by the earthbender's comment. "I'm only telling the truth..."

Zuko swiftly sent his hand back into his hair. "Look you guys. I know this may seem difficult, but it's nothing we haven't handled before. This will be over before you know it. Right now most of my top elite guards are on the case. Once they locate Azula, we'll follow the plan from there..."

Katara frowned. "I still think there's too much risk involved in this..."

Zuko got up slowly as he looked around at everyone present. "It may be risky, but right now it's the only plan we got. I'm too tired at the moment to dig any deeper into the situation. After all, I still have a meeting..."

Zuko paused as he glanced warily at Aang. "We still have a meeting."

All Aang could do was give a swift nod. "Yeah...I..I'll be ready."

The airbender coughed loudly, sending some of the remaining drinks flying towards the wall.

Zuko went over to Aang and placed his hand on the airbender's shoulder. "It's okay. I can have some servants clean that up."

Aang nodded and grimaced as he slowly stood up from the table. Seeing Aang's struggle, Zuko offered his hand but the airbender shook his head.

"It's okay. I can get to my room by myself."

Zuko chuckled darkly. "Your room is destroyed, remember?"

Aang glared at Zuko. Then he stubbornly tried to walk past his firebending teacher, but he couldn't control his momentum. With a groan, Aang fell onto the ground. His muscles were starting to ache again as his back tensed.

Zuko looked at Aang for a long moment as the airbender squirmed on the ground. "Would you like some help now?"

Aang grumbled incoherently before nodding his head. Zuko used his hands to support Aang as the young airbender stood back on his feet. Zuko smiled as something mischievous popped into his head.

"Hmmm, it looks like your wounds have opened up again. Since your room is covered in soot, how about you stay in Katara's room for now?"

Both Aang and Katara blushed furiously as Sokka stood up in protest. "What? Zuko have you lost your mind?"

Aang flinched at the tone of Sokka's voice. He knew Sokka had a point, but it still hurt.

Zuko rolled his eyes, or rather his one good eye. "Relax. Katara can heal Aang and help him until Judis gets back. Besides, they're engaged. I think they should have some more quality time together."

Sokka grumbled. "We can't just let him stay with her alone! What if he transforms again?"

Katara glared at her brother. "I can handle myself. I don't need your protection. Besides, if he did turn back into a dragon I think you would be the one screaming your head off!"

Sokka flushed. "That's not the point!"

Toph waved her arm in Sokka's direction. "Let them go. If you're really that afraid then you can just stand guard in the next room over."

Suki nodded. "Right now, Katara is the only one who can help Aang recover."

Sokka muttered something under his breath as he narrowed his eyes at Zuko. "If anything happens, I'm blaming you for this!"

Zuko held up his hands in mock surrender. "Me verses the best boomerang guy around. I guess I'm doomed."

Zuko smirked as Sokka stomped uncontrollably. "Don't mock the power of the boomerang! Besides if I still had my space sword, you would be trembling in fear. I could beat you with a regular sword if I wanted to!"

Zuko smiled as his eyes sparkled dangerously. "Is that a challenge?"

Sokka pointed two fingers at Zuko to emphasize the point.

Katara shook her head at her brother and friend. "I don't want to interrupt the testosterone battle, but don't you have a meeting to attend Zuko?"

Zuko sighed. "Oh, yeah...Darn it! Should I tell the General about my sister?"

Katara shrugged. "You're the fire lord. You tell me."

Zuko swore under his breath. "He is so going to bust me up for this. It's like I'm handing another thing for him to rub in my face."

Aang looked at Zuko with pity. "Don't worry. If we both go I'm sure he won't take out all his frustration on you..."

Zuko looked at the airbender warily. "Do you think you'll be able to do this? If you're still having a hard time controlling yourself, then you don't have to come. I've already seen General Shino a couple of times myself."

Aang glared at Zuko. "That's exactly why I should come."

"Fine. The meeting starts in an hour."

Toph twirled her fingers in an empty cup. "Do you want us to come too?"

Zuko shook his head. "No. Please just leave it to us. General Shino will think we're not serious if we have a bunch of kids at the meeting, no offense."

Toph smirked and Suki shook her head laughing.

Sokka huffed. "Who are you calling kids, kid!"

"I'm seventeen!"

"Exactly."

Zuko and Sokka glared at each other as everyone started laughing around them.

Aang smiled at his friends. The pain was still excruciating. But being here with his family was definitely starting to lift his spirits.

Aang sighed as he thought of his behavior earlier, especially towards Katara. He hated hurting her like that. Even though he couldn't remember the first couple of weeks, he could tell how bad it had been due to everyone's cautious actions.

Aang glanced at Katara who was smiling as Sokka rubbed his fist into Zuko's hair.

He wished it was easy to act around Katara, but now with this new energy inside him all he wanted was to get away from her. If she had been in his room while he was firebending...

Aang gasped in horror of what could have happened as Katara tapped his shoulder. Aang flinched away warily when he noticed it was her.

Katara stared at the floor sadly as she noticed the airbender's reaction. "Uh..so, do you think you're up for a healing session now?"

Aang nodded slowly as he chanted phrases in his head. _Don't freak out, don't freak out, don't freak out... _

Katara gave Aang a small smile as she took his hand and lead them quietly towards her room.

oooOOooOOooo

Shen was sitting at his desk in his office. He was looking over more maps for the imperial palace. It was quite hard for him to concentrate considering all the customers he had been getting for the past couple of weeks. It was hard for Shen to either bless or curse at his situation.

He needed the money, but right now he had to focus on finding a way into the palace. Shen groaned as he heard someone coming into the store.

Trying to put out his syrupy voice, Shen walked in through the back. "Welcome. How may I help you this evening?"

Shen frowned when he saw the man in front of him laughing. He had to work hard to regain his composure. "Is something wrong?"

The man smiled rubbing tears out of his eyes. "Man, you sounded so wrong."

Shen snarled as he muttered something under his breath. "Jack..."

"Yep, the one and only. So, how's the report going?"

Shen glared. "I finished that. Just have to interpret this map..."

Jack smiled. "I can do that for you. The gang is waiting by the palace like you told them to."

Shen nodded as he led Jack to his office. Jack spotted the map and looked at it eagerly.

"Quite a beauty, the palace. Has some of the best construction work since before Ozai's time..."

Jack's smile disappeared as he noticed Shen's facial expression. "Hey, you okay?"

Shen growled. "Nothing."

Jack glanced at the map again before standing up. He tilted his head back and placed his hands at his side. "What _are_ we doing Shen?"

"What do you mean?"

Jack sighed as he lowered his head. "We used to be best friends you know. I thought it was going to be me and you against the entire world..."

Shen just stared dully at the other man. "Get to the point."

"Well, I think you've forgotten your priorities. Remember when we were kids and we talked about going into the army? How we were going to serve our country to make our dad's proud? What happened to that?"

Shen swallowed evenly. "What are you saying, Jack?"

"When we first started this, we were doing this to return Ozai to the throne. To save our country's honor. To show the world how great the fire nation truly is."

Jack sucked in a breath. "But now, now it's just about us. We've been doing this for five years, Shen, and all we do is terrorize other's and force people to join. We've been trying to gain a reputation with our fellow citizens and let me tell you, it's pretty bad."

Shen turned his back towards Jack. "We don't need the people to like us. Not everyone liked Ozai, but they showed him respect. We should hope to achieve the same."

Jack shook his head. "Now all we do is bring harm to our people. Where's the honor in that, Jack?"

Shen snarled. "We serve and honor the Phoenix King!"

"Oh, we do? Because all I here is Azula this and Azula that. What is she doing here, Shen? She'll ruin everything for us! You know she's a tyrant and thirsty for power! She will betray us all!"

Shen smiled cruelly. "By the time our missions finished, she won't be here to betray us."

Jack couldn't help slamming his palm into his face. "You actually think YOU of all people can defeat her?"

The comment made Shen snap. "Show some respect for your superiors, Jack! Of course I'll defeat her. She's a complete mental case! I just have to wait for the right moment to strike-"

Jack interrupted him. "She'll eat you alive! Azula is even more powerful than her father. This decision will lead us all to our dooms!"

Shen huffed as he tried to prevent himself from blasting Jack through the wall. "We still need her, in order to complete our mission..."

"Yeah, you're getting pretty damn confident about this. First the avatar, then the fire lord, and now her? You've let this get to your head!"

Shen was shaking furiously, his hands glowing red. "Well I don't see anyone else coming up with ideas! Do you have a better solution, Jack? Or are you just going to stand there like the lazy bastard you are?"

Jack grimaced as he felt Shen's words pierce him in the gut. "Look, I'll go through with this but only because I promised I wouldn't back out. But you better take a second look and think about why we did this in the first place!"

Jack huffed as he walked away, running his hand through his course, rough hair. Shen growled and stood still leaning up against the wall.

"Stupid bastard..."

Shen grit his teeth as an unwelcomed memory began to resurface...

_Shen smiled as Jack wrestled him to the ground. Despite being seven, Jack was pretty tall for his age. Shen had always envied his friend for this, but he would never admit it._

_"Ha, I win again. Face it Shen, you're going to have to surrender."_

_Shen did a low fire kick, tripping Jack. "Never!"_

_The two boys rolled over in the grass, breathing heavily. Jack looked at Shen with awe. "I wish I could fire bend. It's not fair!"_

_Shen smirked. "It's perfectly fair. Besides you're the only one who's allowed to train with swords."_

_"So? How else am I supposed to defend myself when I can't firebend?"_

_"Use your head."_

_Jack huffed. "Yeah right..."_

_Before Shen could retort, a young women ran up to him. "Shen , the mistress wants you. Oh, and she wants you to, Jack."_

_Jack and Shen both shrugged as they got up and ran over into the house. _

_Shen's mother was smiling at the boys as they entered the living room, but Shen noticed that her eyes looked sad._

_"I have some...pretty bad news to tell you boys."_

_Jack and Shen glanced at each other before sitting softly on the floor._

_"I never wanted to tell you something like this...but...it seems...," a deep breath, "Shen, your father...he was wounded in battle."_

_Shen felt something stir in the pit of his stomach. "He's...hurt?"_

_Shen's mother started crying. "They said the wound was fatal."_

_Shen gasped as Jack placed his hands on the young boy's shoulders._

_"Also, I'm afraid lieutenant Lee won't be coming back anytime soon. They say he got lost in the middle of a raid and no one's found him since..."_

_Jack swallowed loudly, tears dripping down the side of his face. "Oh..." was all he could manage to say._

_Shen's mother looked at Jack with pity. "I'm so sorry, Jack. I know your mother passed away a while too. If it's okay you can stay with us since your uncle hasn't arrived yet..."_

_Jack nodded mutely as Shen glared at his mom incredulously. He was very sad for Jack of course but he felt like his mom was giving Jack more attention then was needed. For all they know, Jack's father could still be alive. It was Shen who was truly losing his father._

_Shen's mother dismissed the boys to their rooms._

_Shen was pouting a little as he tried to keep his tears at bay. Still he couldn't be rude to his friend, even if Jack was being a little dramatic..._

_"I'm sorry about this, Jack..."_

_Jack stared at Shen. "You know what, Shen. Now that my parents are gone, you guys are all that I have left."_

_Shen shrugged. "It least your uncle is coming."_

_Jack grabbed Shen suddenly into a hug. "Thanks Shen. You'll always be my friend no matter what."_

_Shen sighed and accepted the hug with a grunt. "Right..."_

Shen slammed his fist into the wall, causing some debris to fall onto his feet.

"That bastard..." he muttered again.

oooOoOOoooo

Aang winced as the water ran all over his back. "A little higher…"

Katara raised her hands slowly up Aang's back letting the water seep into his scarred pores.

Aang clenched and unclenched his fists, his breathing rising. He was sweating a lot also as his legs tensed from sitting to long. His voice rose up an octave as the water continued glowing behind him.

"Okay, I…I think that's good now."

Katara shook her head. "Just let me continue this for a few more minutes and then we'll take a break." Aang nodded as his body tensed. He was trying to hold back his urge to run away.

She continued healing his back for five minutes before he collapsed onto her bed, panting.

Katara rubbed her forehead as she felt sweat dripping from her brow. "That was...good so far. A few more days of this and your back should be healed up quite nicely."

Katara looked into Aang's eyes and saw that they were yellow again. She sighed. "Do you want me to go away now?"

Aang shook his head quickly. "No. I just...need a minute..."

Katara nodded and stepped back to give Aang some space. Before she could move though, she felt Aang's tight grip on her arm.

Katara gasped as she heard Aang's deep voice from behind. "Don't...leave..."

"I wasn't going to."

The grip on her arm relaxed as she sat on the edge of her bed timidly.

Aang slowly sat up and lifted one of his legs so he could lean on his knee. "Ugh, it feels like my throat is burning..."

"Maybe you just need a glass of water. I'll get you some."

Aang was about to protest but the waterbender was already gone.

Aang sighed as he ran his hand up through his dark, black hair. His hair had grown longer throughout the weeks. It was nearly at his shoulders now. _I'm going to have to cut this soon..._

Aang shuddered as a memory hit him out of the blue...

_He was screaming. It least he could tell that much. As Aang looked around he noticed that he wasn't really in control of his body. He could see himself firebending at Zuko as Katara tried to calm him down. Sokka was trying to help in the background, but his clothes got caught on fire forcing him to head down the stairs._

_As Zuko continued to try to calm Aang down, Katara was trying to heal his back from behind. Aang nearly shouted when he saw himself kick Katara from behind. She slammed into the wall opening up a long cut that had already been healed on her arm. Blood was running down from her forehead and was starting to seep into her top._

_Aang couldn't do anything but watch as he saw himself start a blaze that spread throughout the entire floor..._

Suddenly Aang's eyes opened as he fell off his bed with a groan. He could feel something hurting in the pit of his chest as he panted.

He was shocked that he had been capable of doing such destruction. But to see the girl he loved getting hurt like that...

Aang was starting to have a panic attack as he felt the muscles in his arms pulse.

Katara had just entered the room when she witnessed the spectacle. "Aang! Are you alright? Here drink this. It should help."

Aang stared at the cup of water and quickly grabbed it, drinking it all in one gulp. He slammed the cup onto the floor, shattering the glass.

Katara jumped. "Aang, please don't do that! We're starting to run out of cups..."

Aang looked into her eyes and stood up painfully. "Katara, I'm so sorry..."

Katara shrugged. "I'm fine. It's Zuko who's going to be mad if we keep losing-"

Before she could finish, Aang pulled her into a hug. Katara blushed lightly as Aang ran his hands through her hair.

"I'm going to make this right. I promise," he said in a deep voice.

Katara sighed into his arms. "Don't worry. It's not your fault."

Aang shook his head. "I can't believe how much pain you had to go through for me..."

Katara pushed him back so that he could see her face. "I'm not mad at you. Mistakes happen. How else are you supposed to act? You have a dragon inside you for crying out loud!"

Aang lowered his head in shame. "I wish there was some way I could make it up to you..."

Katara smiled. "Just get better. That's all I want."

Aang gave her a sad smile. Then he lightly pressed his lips against hers.

"I guess I can do that."

Katara smiled again. "You should probably get some sleep now. Since your back is patched up you should be able to rest with some peace."

Aang nodded. "Thanks, Katara."

Aang walked back over to her bed and jumped into it. Katara chuckled. "You're going to have to stop doing that too if you ever want those wounds to heal."

Aang gave her a soft laugh in return before turning over on his side. Once he had fallen asleep Katara went out and closed the door softly.

ooOOOooOOooo

A guard was standing by the gateway in front of a path that led to the imperial palace. He yawned abruptly. Being an elite, he had to stay alert for any trespassers. But it had been quite banal for a few months now. The guard was wondering for the second time that day if he should risk taking a nap.

Suddenly the guard lifted his head up when he noticed something moving in the bushes nearby. The guard quickly took up a defensive stance as his hands heated up.

"Who goes there?"

Someone stepped out of the bush.

The guard froze in his position. The person had long black hair that swayed in the breeze. Their skin was as white as paper and their nails were long and sharp. The guard could have sworn he saw a smile on those lips, but otherwise the person wasn't speaking.

The guard glared at the stranger. "I'll ask one more time. Who goes there?"

The person suddenly brought their legs in for a kick. The guard rolled over before shooting a barrage of orange flames at the intruder.

"Leave at once!"

The person paid him no mind as she started making a circular motion with her fingers. Electricity cackled around the person, making a wide circle as thunder roared in the distance.

The guard stopped attacking again as he saw the electricity surging everywhere. Before he could utter a single word, the electricity was shooting towards him. It hit him square in the chest, blasting him through the gates. The guard let out a final moan before collapsing in a heap.

Azula smiled beneath her long bangs as she motioned the others hiding behind her that the coast was clear.

One of Shen's men came running and stood beside Azula. "Okay, all we need to do is take out the rest them around the perimeter, and then the next phase of the plan can begin. Are you ready, Fire lord Azula."

Azula gave him a wide smile...

* * *

><p><strong>I figured I'd end the chapter here since it's starting to get kind of long. Judis should be back in the next chapter along with a new OC I'm making.<strong>

**Since I've gone over ten chapters, I'm going to start making previews of the next ones from now on! Helps keep you excited for the new ones, yes? :) When I do this {} it means I'm skipping to a different scene...**

Preview from chapter 12...

Aang was pacing around until he spotted the red dragon rising before him.

Aang sighed. "Look, I know you're angry about something, but we have to work together on this. It's my body too you know."

The Dragon lowered its head towards Aang. The airbender sighed again before placing his hands on the dragon's nose.

Aang gasped as visions immediately started running through his head.

{}

Zuko glared at Judis. "What are you talking about? You mean you've been gone all this time just to find some crazy spirit healer?"

Judis smiled. "Not just any spirit healer. This man has been blessed by the spirits and is respected in his profession. He will help tame the dragon within the avatar."

Zuko stared at ? disbelievingly. "So...you can really talk to spirits, huh?"

The older man bowed respectfully at Zuko. "I won't disappoint you. I've been working with the spirits for almost as long as I can remember. The Avatar will be cured. I will help him release the dragon..."

**Until next time! :)**

**Last Edit: June 30 2012**


	12. The Limited Remedy

**Yes, I know I haven't updated in forever, but relax. I didn't forget about this story. **

**I hope the previews are making this story more exciting! :D**

**Sometimes, to me they seem like double cliff hangers. This means they double up the anticipation! Well, that's the idea…he…he…**

**Anyway, thank you all so much for your wonderful reviews! It means a lot to me! I'll have some shout outs at the end to address a couple who really made my day. I also have one more note to add to this, but if you want to get on with the story (Or, you don't really care too much about some of my *cough* spelling mistakes…) you can skip this:**

**Before I get the show rolling let me just say that I do listen to the grammar advice that comes along with the reviews and I can safely tell you all that I went back and updated/edited chapters 1-8. I mainly tried to fix the typos and other awkward sounding sentences. So I just wanted to let you guys know that. I don't ignore ANY of the advice I get for this story. And now that I have a beta, I'm hoping to improve on the mistakes I still manage to make despite this being chapter twelve. Thank you all so much for the support! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own avatar the last airbender! But I am proud to say that I own Shen, Jack, and the rest of the LL Phoenix group!**

The Limited Remedy

Katara smiled as she walked down the hallway. She was quite happy with Aang's progress. So what if he snapped at her a couple of times? At least she knew in her heart that the airbender really didn't mean it. Katara simply understood one fact; now that there was a dragon inside her love, she would just have to put up with some of his more…_aggressive_ behavior.

This didn't deter Katara. Rather, it made her toughen up and accept the challenge. After all, this would be good practice for dealing with fights during a wedding. Therefore, the optimistic waterbender smiled with pride as she relished in the joy that had befallen her since the airbender had allowed his love to heal him. After weeks of being kicked out like a good for nothing hogmonkey, Katara was happy to be able to it least touch Aang once again.

The waterbender's smile grew as she fingered the necklace Aang had made for her. It was one of those moments that caused time to stand still. It was just her and the necklace standing among the delicate strings of time. Nothing could penetrate the peaceful atmosphere that surrounded Katara.

But of course, moments like these were meant to be broken. Katara learned this the hard way as Sokka suddenly jumped in front of her from seemingly out of nowhere.

"Did he hurt you? Is he feeling alright? Did he give you any trouble? Are YOU giving him any trouble? Is the dragon gone? Are you-"

Katara pressed her hand over her hyperactive brother's mouth.

"Jeez, Sokka! You're talking my ears off!"

Sokka chuckled under Katara's glare as he muttered something underneath her hand. "Sorry…"

The waterbender sighed as she let her hand drop. "Nothing bad happened. The healing session went well. Aang is currently sleeping like a baby moose-lion."

Katara smiled as she remembered the last time her love had used those words. It had been right before the invasion, where their first kiss soon followed.

Sokka huffed loudly once he recognized the reference. "How come whenever he's going avatar crazy you're the one to always calm him down?"

"I think it has to do with a woman's touch."

Sokka frowned. "Who cares about gender? I can be just as supportive as you!"

Katara raised an eyebrow. "You mean like how you were during dinner?"

"No, like how I was when we first carried him into his room. And what did I get in return? A death wish, that's what!"

Katara groaned. "Ugh, you are so infuriating! Could you just give Aang a chance? It's not his fault that a dragon decided to take over!"

Sokka growled. "I'm not saying it's anyone's fault! It just is what it is! Right now Aang's dangerous, and I won't let you get hurt just because he's your future husband. What you two need right now is some space."

"I can't believe you! So what if he's dangerous? What's so different from before? Are you telling me you didn't think he was dangerous back when he couldn't control his avatar state?"

Sokka raised his hand to retort but before he could Katara cut him off.

"So now just because things are kind of rough you feel the need to bash him up? Well, let me tell you. I'm not leaving Aang's side no matter how much you think I should stay away. The only way I'll leave him alone is if he orders me out himself! And that's only if I think his reason is good enough. Otherwise, I'm staying! You got that?"

Katara stomped away as Sokka stared after her, his expression portraying the illusion that he had been sucking on a lemon. The warrior punched the wall furiously only to hop around as he jammed his hand into his mouth. The motion was loud enough to attract the attention of Zuko from across the hall.

The young fire lord glanced at the warrior cautiously, uncertain of whether he should intervene. "Uh…are you okay?"

Sokka snapped, "Do I look okay? Is my face full of happy face circles?"

"Well, I don't see any circles…"

The warrior growled. "Just leave me alone, Zuko. I don't have time for this crap."

Zuko frowned. "What the hell did I do?"

"Oh, nothing. Nothing at all, though I will say that you have just busted my ego tenfold with you presence. Now that's a crime."

The older firebender shook his head rapidly. "Did I miss something here?"

"Yes, you totally missed the shouting match between me and Miss Know-It-All who just left the premises. My sister can be such a pain in the-"

Zuko held his hand up. "I get it. You don't need to involve me in your little squabble. Just don't say anything you'll regret, Sokka."

"Oh, I don't regret _anything_…"

Zuko shrugged as he continued to walk down the hallway, but before he could turn the corner, he turned back to look at Sokka.

"Oh, almost forgot. Could you tell Aang that the meeting starts in thirty minutes? Wouldn't want him to miss it…"

For some reason Zuko couldn't comprehend the statement only managed to make the warrior angrier.

"What do I look like, the Avatar's messenger? Tell him yourself!"

Sokka growled some more as he clutched his hand while stomping away loudly. Zuko sighed.

"Man, at least I don't have to worry about arguing with Azula…" Zuko grimaced as he thought about his words. "Then again, she would just cut to the chase and kill me."

The young man sighed again as he went back towards Aang's bedroom. Before he could open it though, a servant came running around the corner.

"My lord, Sir Lee has been killed."

Zuko's eyes widened as he grabbed his servant by the shoulders. "Which Lee?"

"The one by the gate, my lord."

Zuko swore under his breath. "Man, how did they reach the gate in the first place? It has some of the best security in the nation…"

"That's just it, my lord. Some other guards have been taken out by the front gates. The enemy seems to be attacking all the guards from all the outside posts."

Zuko furrowed his brow. "But why would they do that? Wouldn't it just make more sense to cut through the front and barge in from there?"

The servant shivered. "I don't know, but so far we've lost five elites and twelve new recruits. Should I send in the extra twenty for back up?"

The young fire lord nodded. "Yes. In fact, send in twenty-five. Also, please alert my friends Suki, Sokka, and Toph. I'm sure they'll want to help out. Tell Katara to stay with Aang. I'll alert General Shino. Hopefully, he'll be able to help with this mess."

As his servant ran away to carry out his orders, Zuko cringed as he thought over his decision. He really hated the fact of having his friends face the threat without him, but for now he had to make sure General Shino was okay, otherwise the rotten earthbender could blame him for letting the fire nation attack a foreign leader.

Zuko raced down the hall towards the meeting room, hoping that the General wouldn't fall victim to the chaos that was starting to envelope the palace.

oooOOOOooOooo

A young man stood quietly as he saw the plan progress through Azula and the rest of the LL Phoenix group from afar. His brow wrinkled as he stared at the dead guards in disgust.

Jack sighed as he forced himself into a seating position. Despite what many perceived from his large appearance, Jack was barely passing nineteen. He was pretty lean and muscular and his short beard helped give him a sense of maturity. But sometimes, Jack couldn't help but feel like a simple kid as he watched his crew proceed with the 'dirty' work.

Jack stared at the stars wistfully. The plan was unraveling quite differently than he expected. Frankly, in his opinion, Shen's ideas were completely bogus. But he wouldn't dare confront Shen about it, not after the fight the two had the night before.

_When did this become such a glory fest? I can't help thinking that we've lost sight of our original goal here. Now, it's all leading to destruction… _

Jack glared at the sky as his hands clenched into fists, then he spoke out loud.

"Man, Shen. When did the pride go to your head? I can't believe it's come to this. Best friends fighting like enemies. This is just too much…"

Jack's thoughts were interrupted when he saw flashes of green and blue amongst the dead guards.

Quickly, the conflicted man stood to his feet as he used his teeth to pull out a stopper that was sealing up a bomb. He threw it towards the new warriors on the battlefield while enhancing the night by making a small show of fireworks. It was the signal.

Jack ran out of the area as he hardened his mind, focusing on the new task ahead…

oooOOOooOooo

General Shino was glaring as Zuko solemnly told him of what was going on outside the palace.

"Imbeciles! When will your people learn? I feel like all this corruption could choke me to death if not for the Avatar's presence. Where is the boy anyhow? He should be able to stop this mess."

Zuko calmly crossed his hands over his death. "Unfortunately, Aang is ill at the moment. I have one of my friends looking after him while I wait for my healer to show up."

The General nodded. "Well, it least you can multitask. We'd better save the meeting for later than. I'd rather proceed with the details when the Avatar is feeling well. No offense, but it's uncomfortable to be having a meeting with the fire lord right before he's overthrown if I do say so myself."

Zuko smirked. "I'd say that's the only thing that I completely agree with, General, not that you would have been able to withstand the attack. But I need _real_ men protecting my palace, if you don't mind me saying."

The General huffed. He was used to Zuko's brash comments by now. The leader wouldn't admit it, but he was beginning to find a strange satisfaction in his meetings with the new fire lord. Not that he would say that or anything.

"Until next time, Zuko."

Zuko smiled, fully showing his teeth. "Please, don't hesitate to come back."

As the General left with his guards, Zuko breathed out a sigh of relief.

"Good thing too. I can't handle too much drama at the moment."

Zuko stretched his stiff muscles as he headed down the hall back towards Katara's room where Aang was.

"I better go check on Katara."

Zuko quickened his pace as he heard low amounts of grunts from outside. _Man, I really hope no one's gotten to Aang. I don't think a dragon would be of much help right now…_

The firebender was about to turn the corner when he noticed someone coming in from the outskirts in the kitchen.

The young fire lord went into a defensive stance, breathing in and out through his nose as he prepared himself. To his relief and utter indignation, Judis accompanied by an unknown older man stepped in.

Zuko growled as he relaxed his position. "Man, it's about time, Judis! What took you so long?"

Judis smiled. "I've brought someone to help in a field of medication I know nothing about. My lord, I present to you Agnis. He is legendary for his much praised work of-"

"Just get on with it, Judis. If you haven't noticed, I'm in a sort of tight spot right now. My friends are fending off a few rebels as we speak, so make this quick. We need to help Aang."

The doctor nodded passively, looking slightly surprised by Zuko's interruption. "But of course. I was getting to that part. You see, Agnis here can tame the spirits. He has been to the other realm, you know, the spirit world, several times and his healing abilities are nothing short of amazing. Did I mention he can also converse with the spirits?"

Zuko glared at Judis. "What are you talking about? You mean you've been gone all this time just to find some crazy spirit healer?"

Judis smiled. "Not just any _spirit_ healer. This man has been blessed by the spirits and is respected in his profession. He will help tame the dragon within the Avatar."

Zuko stared at Agnis disbelievingly. "So...you can really talk to spirits, huh?"

The older man bowed respectfully at Zuko. "I won't disappoint you. I've been working with the spirits for almost as long as I can remember. The Avatar will be cured. I will help him release the dragon..."

The young fire lord smirked at the statement. "Oh, really? Well, for your sake, I hope you can do what you say. I'm not wasting any chances here. If you hurt Aang, I will hunt you down. I have no time for nonsense."

Agnis bowed respectfully. "I will not fail. Trust me when I say that Aang is in the best of hands."

Zuko sighed loudly. "Whatever. Let's get Aang to the medical room."

The trio quickly went down the hallway and stopped at Katara's room. Zuko opened it quickly and was happy to see that Katara and Aang were unharmed.

"Zuko! I'm glad you're here. It seemed like the battle was getting close to us for second," Katara said.

The firebender nodded as he glanced at the airbender warily. "Is he still asleep?"

Katara nodded.

"Good. That should make this easy then. We'll carry Aang to the medical room so that you can go out there with Sokka. I'll join you guys in a little bit."

To his dismay, the waterbender shook her head. "No, I'll stay with Aang."

"Come on, Katara…"

"No, Zuko. You need the back up! I'm not leaving Aang defenseless. The others can hold their own."

The young fire lord would have thought her words were harsh if he had not believed the same as Katara.

"Fine. Just don't expect me to defend you if Sokka gets all worked up."

Katara simply snorted as she followed the group to the medical room. As they ran through the halls, she couldn't help asking one question though.

"Who's the new guy?"

Zuko shrugged. "Some crazy healer who thinks he can get the dragon out of Aang."

Agnis smiled at the group. "Glad to know my skills are being judged as unworthy. I knew it would be a challenge to get the fire lord's trust. His spirit is quite stubborn."

Zuko scowled as Katara repressed a giggle. Judis laughed brightly. "You're definitely not off with that judgment!"

Before long, the group had reached the medical room. Judis looked at his instruments and lab equipment fondly, as if he had just opened a present. Katara shuddered at the lower temperature of the room while Zuko just fidgeted uneasily. Agnis was completely calm and carefully lowered Aang's body onto the soft table in the middle of the room.

"He is sleeping deeply, this one. I sense great power within him…"

Zuko muttered something incoherent under his breath as he remembered a similar conversation with Judis. Basically, he wasn't buying it. "Well, who else could have figured that out? I'm sure the avatar state made people sense something also."

Katara elbowed Zuko in the ribs, causing a death glare to be pierced at her head. Luckily, she didn't notice. "So, do you think you'll be able to help him?"

Agnis placed his hands on Aang's forehead gingerly, rubbing the blue arrow just barely seen over the avatar's overgrown, shaggy hair.

"It seems that the dragon doesn't want to cooperate with him. They are at a painful stalemate."

Katara's eyes widened as Zuko stared at Aang quizzically. Judis, of course, was soaking the information like a sponge and had quickly found a piece of paper and quill pen.

Agnis, oblivious to the tension he was causing, continued his assessment. "I can create a remedy that will allow him to control the dragon's power at will. However, he will not be able to get rid of the dragon completely. Also, the dragon will still be able to pop in and out at times, but it least now the boy will have a better chance at controlling its power."

Zuko growled. "Wait a minute! You mean to tell me you can't get the dragon out? I thought you said you would release it?"

Agnis chuckled. "You mean release 'her' don't you? Besides, I said I would help, but I can't do his work for him."

The young fire lord nearly tore his hair out in frustration but managed to keep a calm outer appearance. "So all you can do is give Aang more control?"

Katara swallowed as a dreadful thought surfaced. "Will the dragon be stuck inside him…forever?"

Agnis shook his head. "You both must understand the spirits are not to be messed with. Only the enlightened ones are ever allowed to cross their depths, and even than they still have much to atone for. Aang must reconcile with the dragon himself if he ever wants his body to remain his again…"

Zuko sighed as he imagined the battle that was heading for the young airbender. "It least this will give him some time to come up with a plan."

Agnis looked at the older firebender gravely. "May I remind you Zuko that the dragon's people have not forgiven you or the avatar for letting their secret roam free. You must remember to reconcile with the Sun Warrior tribe if you truly wish to respect the dragon's wishes. Especially considering the beast gave you the true knowledge of firebending."

Katara gasped while Judis accidentally dropped his pen.

Zuko stuttered as his eyes widened in shock. "How did you know about that?"

Agnis smiled. "The dragon appears to be very concerned about it. I think it's important that you confront the people soon. It will help calm the dragon's wrath which will in turn make it easier for the Avatar to reason with her."

Zuko sighed. "I'll do what must be done. Just fix him."

Agnis nodded. "If you don't mind, I would like some privacy. The spirits tend to like it better when I do my work alone. It is a very personal process for them."

Zuko scowled as his suspicions about the healer grew, but Katara placed her hand lightly on his shoulder.

"Come on, Zuko. Let's give him some space. Besides, you can stay by the door in case there's any trouble."

Zuko grunted. "Fine, but if anything happens I'm holding you responsible."

Katara rolled her eyes as she grabbed him and pushed him out of the room.

Judis followed sadly, not wanting to miss Agnis's work in progress. But he had great respect for the spirit healer, therefore he exited the room without complaint.

Agnis sighed, grateful to now have some peace and quiet as he began to make the remedy…

oooOOOOooOOoo

"_Wow, I hope I'm not in the spirit world…"_

_Indeed, it seemed like the spirit world to him. The airbender looked at his surroundings trying to remember what had caused him to land in the area in the first place._

_It was similar to the Wan Shi Ton desert; instead the grains of sand appeared red instead of yellow. The sky was also a light red hue with a black sun that reminded Aang of charcoal. The place felt barren and empty of all life as Aang felt a breeze whip up sand in the distance._

_The young airbender sighed. _This is so strange…

_Aang was pacing around until he spotted the red dragon rising before him. It looked even more formidable up close and in the red sand dunes it almost appeared as if the dragon was set on fire. He could easily see the pain in the dragon's eyes, but the beast expression was hardened as it regarded Aang with cool intensity._

_The airbender sighed. "Look, I know you're angry about something, but we have to work together on this. It's my body too you know."_

_The Dragon lowered its head towards Aang. The young avatar sighed again before placing his hands on the dragon's nose._

_Aang gasped as visions immediately started running through his head._

_It was one complete terror after another._

_Dragon after dragon was suddenly slain before his eyes. He could feel their last breaths as countless firebenders burned them alive, drowned them, suffocated them, and gassed them, all for the sake of glory and fear._

_Many different types of dragons were shown clearly in front of his eyes. There were pink ones, some that were yellow, and a few that were a mixture of different colors... Some were as brown as the earth while others were as black as night._

_The deaths came swiftly; agonized screams filled the airbender's vision as dragon after dragon fell from different firebenders. Blood spurted everywhere as the images increased in pain and momentum. Aang could feel his eyes leak with unshed tears as he was bombarded with one picture to another._

"_Please stop, I can't…take this…"_

_But it didn't stop. The pain just got worse and worse. Aang grimaced as he felt his hands go up into his hair._

_Just when he thought the horror was over, Aang saw one last image. There were seven firebenders approaching a group of four dragons. The two larger dragons were green and blue and the smaller two were had a combination of both green and blue skin... The airbender felt his eyes bulge with terror once he realized a disturbing fact._

That's…that's a family. Those firebenders are about to kill a family…

_Aang's eyes opened as tears filled his eyes, but the image was still playing in his mind. He could feel the nausea in his stomach as he nearly choked on sobs that were starting to come out of his mouth. His whole body shook with tremors as his hands clenched into fists._

"_Please, don't show me this!"_

_The image continued playing though, and unlike the others it was very slow and daunting. The airbender could only watch as the dragons were burned to death in a matter of minutes that seemed like hours._

_Aang shouted in agony as his body fell to the ground. The red dragon watched all this with unfeeling eyes as it laid its head close to the avatar's shivering body…_

oooOOOoOooo

The young airbender gasped as he rose up from the table.

"Ah, so you've finally woken up from your slumber. I was beginning to get anxious."

Aang stared at the older man before him. The man appeared to be in his late thirties, though his white hair seemed to discount that assumption. His skin had an olive tone to it, shining in the dim light of the room. His clothes looked similar to the air nomads, yet they appeared to have more earth tones similar to what the people in the earth kingdom wore. The man also had on a head dress that looked almost the same as the chief from the Sun Warrior tribe.

The man smiled at Aang. "It's nice to meet you, Aang. My name is Agnis, and I am here to help you tame the dragon within you."

* * *

><p><strong>Hah…another chapter completed. <strong>

**Oh yeah, can't forget the preview!**

Preview of Chapter 13

Zuko stared at Aang incredulously. "What in the world are you doing?"

Zuko gasped as he saw Aang's yellow eyes. They were blazing with fury.

{}

Agnis stared at Aang solemnly as he listened to the horrors the young airbender recounted.

"I see, so she showed you the inner workings of her chi?"

Aang gasped. "What do you mean?"

Agnis stepped over towards the window in the room. "When a spirit shows you their past, they are engulfing your whole body with energy. Energy from a spirit can be very dangerous, Aang. Only such people like you and me can withstand that much power."

"Okay…"

Agnis turned to look back at the puzzled airbender. "I know it may seem painful now, but the dragon gave you those visions for a reason."

"But why does it have to torture me? I don't need to see visions to understand how much the dragons were mistreated."

"Understand? Well of course you understand. You do realize why the dragon decided to show you and not Zuko, don't you?"

Aang's eyes widened as his breath hitched. "What?"

Agnis went over to Aang and placed his hands on the young Avatar's shoulders.

"She chose you because you are the only one who has fully experienced what the dragon is feeling right at this moment. You both have a strong connection and the sooner you realize that, the sooner you'll be free."

**So, here you go! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter!**

**Here are some shout outs for a couple of reviewers I personally want to thank:**

**awesomegabby195: Thank you so much for your reviews! It's amazing that you actually created an account just to tell me what you thought of my story and for that I am extremely grateful. I would have thanked you much earlier but I can't PM you so hopefully you see from this shout out how thankful I truly am…**

**SuperOreoMan: Thank you so much for your compliments about the plot! I am trying to think slightly outside the box. It least I hope no one has done something like this (it least, not in the avatar world…he…he…).**

**BeautifulShadowsKeybearer1317: Thank you so much for the encouragement! It was such a surprise to see your review! I was extremely encouraged and it boosted my confidence.**

**GirlWaterShaman: Thank you so much for your constructive criticism. Your advice and efforts to improve my grammar are much appreciated! **

**Lorekr and Kimjuni2: Thanks a lot! It's always nice to see new fan/readers for this.**

**Xx Senshi of Ankoku xX: Your reviews make me so excited! You really get into it and appreciate my humor attempts! :D**

**Sun Daughter: Thank you so much again for betaing this! It means a lot to me! And your review was awesome to read, it wasn't too short at all. Thanks again for adding this to your community!**

**As for everyone else who's reading this thank you so much for the support! I just had to take up some space to dedicate to all of you! Never forget how important you are to us aspiring writers. XD**

**Last Edit: June 31 2012**


	13. The startling realization

**Yes, I'm back after…two months. Due to school I've only been able to work on this during the weekends…**

**Anyway, enjoy the chapter. **

The Startling Realization

Aang felt his hair rise up on the edge of his back as his body tensed up. His fingers were twitching while his breath hitched in the back of his throat. The pupils in his eyes widened as the young airbender stepped away from the older man in front of him.

Agnis gasped. "Are you all right, young Avatar?"

Aang continued to back away from the spirit healer. Agnis tried to step closer but that only made the young airbender more anxious.

Agnis sighed and took a few steps back. "Don't worry. I'm not going to hurt you."

The young teen pressed his fingers against the bridge of his nose and uttered out a loud cough. "I…I'm sorry it's just…your presence…"

The older man smiled knowingly. "It can feel pretty uncomfortable."

Aang stared at the spirit healer with curious eyes. "It's like…a pressure equal to twenty palaces pressing against my forehead."

Agnis chuckled as he turned around, taking out extraneous substances from his pockets. "I forget how young you are compared to the others. You're such an interesting Avatar, Aang."

Aang frowned as he moved his hand up to scratch his rough black hair. He stared blankly at the spirit healer, specifically at the substances the man was now holding in his hands.

The young airbender felt sweat drip down his brow as he assessed his situation. Moving his eyes warily, Aang coughed again. "Uh…I don't follow…"

The older man smiled at the airbender compassionately, sincerity shining brightly in his eyes. But none of that mattered to Aang, only the powder the spirit healer rubbed absently in his fingers.

"Don't worry. You will understand…but only with time."

Aang pressed his back against the wall desperately looking for an exit now that the man was walking back towards him with the powder.

Just before the man had entered his reach, the young airbender burst for the door trying his best not to trip. Before he could reach the handle a strong force on his shoulder froze him in place.

Aang hissed as the headache came back. It was as if the veins in his forehead were going to explode. The young teen gasped before collapsing on the ground next to the spirit healer.

Agnis looked at the young Avatar with pity before quickly spreading the powder on his eyelids.

The man took a deep breath and assumed a meditating position. He smiled as he felt the young teen become peaceful, his body relaxing into a calm state.

"Only with time, Aang, only with time…"

The spirit healer sighed as he let his energy flow evenly throughout his body. The two figures remained silent as the room started to fill up with an unearthly glow…

ooOOOooOooo

Zuko gasped as he saw lights shining from across the room. _Man, well something's happening. I just hope Aang holds out…_

Zuko sighed as he stared at Katara who was resting beside him. She had fallen asleep in his lap and refused to wake up no matter how hard the firebender had tried otherwise. It was too dangerous for two of his top benders to be out of commission, but he could understand Katara's lack of energy. She had been staying up every day that week to take care of the young airbender, even when he had constantly tried to push her away.

Zuko rubbed the powerful waterbender's head softly as he contemplated how different things would be between the couple from now on. It was definitely going to take a lot of effort on both sides to ensure a long-lasting foundation for their relationship. All the fire lord could do was pray that they were up for the task.

The firebender sighed again as another relationship came into mind, one he had neglected for far too long. However that problem soon went to the back of his mind as another anxious servant ran in his direction.

"My Lord! Your friends have defeated the intruders that broke through the outside palace gates. A lot of damage has been taken by our defenses, but so far among our guards there are no casualties."

Zuko nodded appreciatively. "Well, it least things seem to be calming down. How are my friends holding up?"

The servant bowed as he realized his mistake. "Ah, yes. They have some minor injuries. I believe the young warrior in the group has taken most of the damage…"

The firebender furrowed his brow as he went over the assessment. "I guess his argument with Katara did more than we originally perceived. Please have Judis take care of him and the others. Tell them I'll be with them shortly."

"As you wish, my Lord."

The Servant scurried away as Zuko leaned down to check on Katara. She was still dead to the world.

Zuko sighed. He knew he was asking for trouble, but the idea was just too…tempting. The firebender snickered as he walked past the corner. After a few seconds he returned with a considerably large bucket of ice. Without hesitating, and a _very_ serious expression, Zuko dumped the vast droplets all over Katara face.

The waterbender jumped up immediately with a large squeal, sending the ice shards all over the floor. Zuko couldn't help but smile lightly at the young girl's expressive facial expression.

"And…ice beats waterbender. How ironic."

Katara huffed loudly, the ice blocks turning into sizzling puddles at her feet.

"I can't believe you! So what, did you start taking lessons from Sokka or something?"

Zuko, his face blank again, shrugged as he dully walked past Katara. "I needed to release some stress."

The waterbender growled. "That's it? That's your reason?"

Zuko stared at the ceiling for a couple of seconds before continuing to walk down the hall. "Pretty much."

The young fire lord smirked as he felt Katara punch him in the arm. "Hey, don't get mad at me. You had to wake up sooner or later."

Katara blinked rapidly. "Wait…I was asleep?"

Zuko turned to look at the waterbender, his expression now showing annoyance. "Well, duh."

Katara returned the look. "You didn't have to snap."

Zuko rolled his eyes. "As you can obviously see, it's been pretty hectic in both my social and work life so if anyone deserves the right to be mean, that would be me."

Katara sighed. "We're all going through a lot right now, Zuko. That doesn't give us the right to push away those who want to help us. Look, we're your family. We'll always be around to lighten the burden. So you can treat us with a little more respect."

Zuko grumbled. "I don't think now is the right time to have this conversation."

The waterbender rolled her eyes. "We might as well have it now. Don't worry, you're not excluded. We could all do a better job in how we treat each other, especially since we're all living together now. Everyone is getting the talk."

Zuko raised an eyebrow. "And you're going to be the one to do it?"

Katara smiled brightly. "But of course!"

Zuko shrugged. "Well before you do, apologize to your brother first. It seems like you could take your own advice."

The waterbender frowned. "Please, that was all him…"

"Sure it was."

Katara threw her hands up into the air exasperatingly. "Seriously, it's just Sokka being…well being Sokka."

Zuko sighed. "Just remember, he's only trying to protect you. You may not realize it, but Aang is much more powerful then he was before, and that was him being in control of the Avatar state. You're going to have to be more careful dealing with him now. If you allow him to hurt you, he'll only push you away more…"

Katara stared at Zuko in shock. "Wow, seems like you've really gotten to know him…"

The young fire lord smiled lightly. "That can happen when you're forced to work with a guy for six months…"

"Oh, I see. I guess it makes sense. Your people must be dealing with a lot of stuff if you need the Avatar's help…"

Zuko shrugged. "It's a little more complicated than that. Let's just say Aang was here for more of a political reason then most would believe…"

Katara nodded, running over the ideas they had discussed in her head as Zuko lead them to the informatory. The door to the infirmary was right next to Judis's office. At first glance one would think the area was small, but as Zuko opened the door Katara was shocked to see how big the room actually was.

The room, just like Judis's office, was extremely white. The colors looked pasted on the walls and the area smelled strongly of rich herbs and soap. There were about twenty beds in the room each with a patient inside. Some were sleeping, but most were awake talking about the events that had taken place during the battle. Many seemed very angry while others looked a little frightened. Katara found herself recognizing a few guards here and there, but most of them were servants.

The waterbender looked at the various wounds, wondering what she could do to help. Her face brightened a little when she saw Sokka in the back of the room. She quickly ran over to him, softly placing her hand on the warrior's shoulder. Sokka turned his head and smiled lightly at her.

"Hey…" His voice sounded hoarse.

"Hey, how are you feeling?"

Sokka shrugged. "It's nothing. Just a head wound is all."

Katara frowned and placed her hands his head. She felt a somewhat large bump near the back of his head.

"Are you sure that's all?"

"I'm fine Katara. I just…need a minute…"

The waterbender nodded. She stood up and was about to step away when she felt a force pressing against her. Katara looked down and saw Sokka's hand gripping her arm tightly.

"Sokka…"

"Katara…I'm sorry, about earlier. I just…don't want us to be fighting anymore. Not now."

The waterbender smiled again. "I forgive you." She felt the grip on her arm tighten more.

Laughing she pulled her arm away. "Alright, I'm sorry too."

Sokka smiled. "Thanks."

"Don't mention it. Do you want me to heal that up for you?"

The warrior nodded. "Sure. Just let me stay here for a couple minutes first. I think Judis would have a heart attack if he saw me walking right now."

Katara nodded. "See you in a few."

Sokka smiled lightly before closing his eyes as Katara left to give him some privacy…

oooOOOOooOooo

_Where am I? Did I enter the Dragon's mind again?_

Aang frowned as he looked over his surroundings. He was standing in another sandy area, but the dunes were smaller than the last time he was here.

The young airbender sighed and walked aimlessly around in the sand thinking over what the spirit healer had said to him. The man was obviously powerful, but in what aspect Aang was not sure. His presence had felt so strange to the young Avatar. It was as if his aura would burst through the seams and be engulfed by the spirit healer's.

Aang continued walking until he felt a weird sensation on his feet. Looking down, he could see grains of sand moving at an odd angle. Before he could contemplate what that meant, the ground underneath him started shifting and shaking sending him in a roll. Aang felt his body bump against various surfaces under the sand as he rolled.

_Something must be coming up from underground…_

He was unable to control his momentum and ended up speeding down a dune until he crashed into something hard.

The young airbender grunted loudly before opening his eyes to see what he had hit. Aang jumped about ten feet in the air as his vision cleared. Before him lay what seemed like a large temple. It looked like it was made out of gold, the blocks aligned in a geometric pattern similar to the ones Aang had seen in the western air temple. In the front was a huge door made out of bronze and it appeared to be very tall. The sides were shining very brightly causing the young Avatar to shield his eyes.

As he raised his hands the large bronze doors started moving sending small shifts in the sand. Once the door was completely open, a large fire started burning at the top of the castle.

Aang gaped at what was happening before him. He knew the Dragon was trying to show him something.

With a fair amount of hesitation, Aang walked over towards the castle.

The sand danced at his feet and the castle seemed to be singing in the distance. It was almost as if the building was sighing when the airbender had finally reached the front of the palace. As he placed one foot inside the castle, the doors quickly closed behind him, sending his body into another rolling fit. He stopped in the middle of the floor, rubbing his sore back with a groan.

Aang rubbed his eyes briefly before taking in the inside of the place. The inside was even more magnificent than the outside. The walls were filled with pictures of many different beasts, the main ones being the sky bison, badgermoles, various fish, some lion turtles, and biggest of all…the dragons.

Countless mosaics were attached all over the ceiling which was concaved upward to form a dome. There were large statue across from where Aang was sitting. It showed two dragons positioned in a way that looked like they were following each other. They formed a circle. One was flying up and the other was flying down. In the middle of the statue there was a small fountain. The water flowed out in four parabolic curves, making it appear that the dragons were sprouting out from the water.

Aang gaped at the beautiful interior, his jaw hanging out. He was so focused on the wonders before him that he barely noticed the red dragon walking beside him.

The airbender flinched back a few steps, nearly falling into the fountain.

"Whoa, please don't do that!"

The dragon glared at Aang with such intensity that it forced the airbender to close his mouth. Now that the dragon was present it seemed wrong for Aang to be there. He felt like he was intruding into something that was sacred and fragile. The young Avatar gulped as the dragon towered over him.

Aang flinched yet again as he felt a flickering presence from behind. Turning quickly he nearly bumped into a transparent form of Agnis. He was floating a couple of feet above the ground.

Agnis gave Aang a small smile. "Don't be frightened. I'm just here to help you."

The airbender huffed impatiently. "Seriously, what is it about being the Avatar that makes people think they can just jump up and surprise me? It's really starting to get annoying…"

The old spirit healer chuckled. "Ah….you wouldn't be the first. It takes quite some time for Avatars to get used to my presence. You are actually doing quite well for your age…"

Aang stared incredulously at the older man. "That supposed to make me feel better?"

Agnis continued to smile, but his eyes looked solemn. "Do you recognize this place, Aang?"

The airbender gazed around at the wonders before him and dumbly shook his head. Agnis lowered his head sadly.

"I guess I should have expected that…"

Aang looked at the man warily. "What are you talking about? What is this place?"

With a sigh, Agnis gestured towards the fountain in the middle of the room. "This place is the dragon's chamber, or should I say, the dragon's temple. It is a very sacred building that has disappeared from this world. It is a place where one could honor the spirit of the dragon, the creator of firebending…"

Aang stared at the intertwining dragons set in stone. "So this place symbolizes what used to be an ancestral ground for the dragons?"

The older man nodded. "It's somewhat like that. This place is very important for the spirits of the dragon. One does not glance at this castle lightly. It was with her permission that I was allowed to show you this."

The young Avatar turned towards the red dragon who was staring at him with large blank eyes. Aang bowed respectfully and kept that position as a series of thoughts ran through his mind.

"Thank you, but I don't understand why you chose me. I was the one who let the rebellions get out of hand. We didn't protect your secret well enough and your other half was killed in the process. So why show me this?"

Agnis smiled softly. "You don't think you deserve to see this place?"

The older man started chuckling loudly, causing the young Avatar to tilt his head in confusion. The Red dragon just stared at Agnis with an expression that could best be described as unimpressed.

The spirit healer rubbed his eyes wistfully, still chuckling. "Forgive me; I always forget how this place may appear to you. Like it's your first time..."

Aang frowned. "Excuse me?"

Agnis sighed as he shook his head. "It just always surprises me how you never remember this place…this palace, the statues, the paintings. All of it is very precious to understanding the four disciplines of bending. Their complete essences can be drawn back here to their originators."

Agnis stared at Aang, his smile turning sad. "But the most amazing thing is that you forget every time, every single time…"

The young teen stared at the spirit healer suspiciously. "What do you mean I always forget?"

Agnis waved his hand in a salutary gesture. "Oh, that explanation will have to wait for another time. Sorry, I got a little carried away back there…"

Aang just stared at the older man again, not liking the vague comments. The Red dragon's gaze was starting to look impatient as she flipped her tail back and forth softly.

The spirit healer gazed at the Red dragon with pity. "I'm sorry. I hate to admit this but I get distracted quite easily."

The young airbender sighed. "Look, I don't want to intrude so maybe you should just take me out of this place."

"Aang, this place is sacred. It can only be seen and inhabited by the spirits and ones with the power to cross into the spirit realm, such as you and me. Therefore it's a very useful place for you, being the Avatar. This will help you prepare for more conflicts in our present and future."

"I don't understand, if this place is so important how come Roku and my other past lives haven't mentioned it before now?" Aang had meant to say this in a polite tone but it ended up sounding bitter and rude, even to his own ears.

Agnis sighed. "I wish I could explain everything to you now, but I can't give out all the details…"

The young teen groaned, slumping into what almost appeared to be a sleeping position. Agnis walked over towards him and placed his hands on Aang's forehead.

Despite the lack of depth due to the spirit healer's transparency, the airbender could still feel a force pressing against his head. His pulse quickened, the muscles tensing in his arms and legs, and from the bright lights shining from his hands and feet, Aang could tell that he was close to entering the Avatar state.

Startled, Aang pressed his hands against the spirit healer but it was in vain. His hands barely left a mark on Agnis. They went straight through him.

A black mist clouded Aang's vision as he felt his eyes turning heavy. Before long, the teen could feel his body falling towards the hard floor of the palace, barely registering Agnis's voice as he made the impact.

"Don't worry, we will be leaving soon. But before we move on I need to show you something…"

oooOOOOooooOoo

Zuko grumbled loudly as he headed back towards the room where Agnis was doing his 'spirit' work, which had been going on for about two hours. Personally, the fire lord was very suspicious of the spirit healer. Countless times many people had come to offer service to the Avatar, fortune tellers, agricultural inspectors, even numerous generals. Zuko was very picky about who he let into the palace. The only reason Judis was still here was because he was one of the best doctors in the Fire nation with a very open policy towards all of the bending nations which was rare in this grand nation full of hot heads.

But Agnis….there was something wrong with him. He didn't know why he felt the way he did, but Zuko was determined to make sure Aang got out of this transition safely. And right now the spirit healer appeared to be making the whole situation worse.

The fire lord grumbled again as he approached the door towards Agnis's temporary study. From the glowing white lights shining out of the cracks underneath the door, Zuko assumed that they were not finished.

Zuko glared at the door, struggling with the idea of blasting it down or simply knocking.

The choice was taken away from him as the door in front of him blasted open with such force that it caused the older teen to jump. It was as if the door had been ripped from its hinges before smashing against the wall on the other side of the room. Zuko glared as he saw the source of the destruction behind him.

"Don't you just love the sound of wood snapping? I especially get excited when it smashes against the wall."

Clapping loudly, Toph stepped closer to Zuko from behind, a huge smirk threatening to split her head into half. She appeared to be somewhat ragged, as if her body had been out of the washer and back. There were various scrapes on her arms and legs and from the side one could see a nasty cut on her waist. Judging from Toph's expression though, it appeared that she had rather enjoyed the fight and had not suffered any damage at all.

Zuko groaned audibly. "Really? You just had to follow me here and complicate things…"

The fire lord growled due to the rather potent force striking against his arm. Toph laughed loudly as Zuko stepped away from her slowly. "Who are you to complain? You wanted the door open anyway."

"I wanted to barge in. Doesn't mean I can though. I have certain responsibilities and a reputation to uphold. That's the difference between me and you."

Toph snorted. "Yeah, keep telling yourself that. So, have they stopped yet?"

Zuko glared at the spirit healer with wide eyes as he saw him sitting in the lotus position with his hands placed upon Aang's head. The young Avatar's tattoos were glowing brightly nearly causing the fire lord to shield his eyes. Clearly, Toph breaking in had not distracted them from whatever they were doing.

Zuko frowned. "They're still in the spirit world or wherever Agnis is taking him…"

Toph shifted her feat uneasily, staring in the direction of the spirit healer. "Is that the new guy you keep complaining about?"

"Yeah, he says he can talk to the spirits. He also seems to be able to sense the spirits inside of the living as well. He gave me a…interesting interpretation not too long ago…"

Toph laughed loudly sending her a glare from Zuko. "Relax. They're not leaving anytime soon. It's almost like they're in a deep sleep…except…"

The young earthbender furrowed her brow as she stabbed her feet deeper into the palace floor.

"I don't know…something feels off about this guy. It's like…he's here but at the same time he isn't."

The young fire lord shrugged. "You mean like Aang?"

Toph shook her head. "No, it's different. I've…never felt something like this before…"

Zuko frowned. "Well, we can discuss that later. Come on, we better leave. We don't want to mess up whatever Agnis is doing. Right now he's our only hope of fixing Aang."

The two of them left the study, heading back towards the living room of the palace. Toph smiled and punched Zuko in the arm, nearly sending him smashing into the side wall.

Zuko bit back the angry flow of swearwords that had almost made it out of his mouth. "Toph, would you please stop doing that!"

The young earthbender shrugged, her face adopting an innocent expression. "You're stressed. This is my way of helping."

Zuko grumbled for the third time as they entered the living room where the others were waiting.

ooOOOooOoo

Judis walked briefly towards Agnis's study, his hands full with notepads. He was well aware of the conditions surrounding the spirit healer and his work. He was not to interfere. But of course, he had to watch. Observations such as this only came once in a life time. Judis was definitely going to take advantage of this.

As he approached the room he was startled to find Agnis standing in the doorway. His face was drawn in a very tight expression and his body looked tensed. He was able to compose himself though by the time Judis had reached him.

"Ah, I see you have finally finished with your work?"

The spirit healer chuckled. "Oh, I'm far from done. But it least we have a starting place. His journey begins now…"

Judis nodded. "That's great to here. Now if you excuse me, I must record Aang's condition. Being his doctor I have to mark every change otherwise my results will be inaccurate."

If Agnis had been offended by Judis's brash interruption, he didn't show it. "I see, carry on then. I advise that you do not touch him. It would be quite bad if he woke up to early. We need to give him time to process all that I've given him so far."

Judis nodded in an impatient matter, already scribbling furiously on one of his notepads. "Yes, no interference. I'm well aware…"

Agnis repressed the urge to sigh and headed toward the area where he could sense the spirits of the other teens.

Once Agnis was gone from sight, Judis eagerly walked into the room stepping closer near Aang than was necessary.

Scribbling, he placed his hands on the airbender's forehead, feeling for temperature. He had to draw his hand back and nearly shout due to it almost being burned beyond repair. The boy was scorching!

Judis huffed, a frown spreading his features into an irritated expression. He quickly wrote '_obsessively high fever'_ in his notebook. Before he could add to that, a hand swiftly knocked the notebook from his fingertips. He could barely retort before the same hand was wrapped tightly around his throat. The pain was excruciating.

A scream erupted loudly from Judis's lips. The hand quickly left his throat, allowing the doctor to rub it furiously as he took deep, painful breaths. A mark was starting to form near the base of his neck which Judis counteracted by rubbing a special ointment on it.

The doctor looked up to see Aang staring at him challengingly. His eyes were narrowed into slits, the irises a very bright yellow to the point where they were almost shining. His pupils looked small and cat like, turning even smaller as the doctor scurried away from him.

Judis laughed nervously. "I see…you're awake."

Aang glared and started walking towards the doctor. Judis shivered as the young Avatar approached him, but in spite of all the fear he still felt the urge to write down what he was seeing on his notepad. But that would have been an unwise move at the moment.

Bending over, Aang brought his face so close to Judis's that the doctor could feel the boy's hot breath hitting his sensitive neck. The airbender's face was livid as if he would strike out again at any second.

Before the Judis had a chance to scream, Aang lowered his head near the base of his neck…and sniffed him. To shocked to do anything, the doctor froze and held his breath while the young teen sniffed him from the base of his collarbone to the tip where his jaw began. The airbender froze at his jaw and just stared at it for a while.

Judis was feeling enough courage to speak when Aang suddenly jumped five feet in the air before landing on the other side of the room. His landing was weak and wobbly, and the young teen had to hold onto the wall for support. But his expression was what really captivated the doctor. It was very close to the look someone gets when they had just tasted something really sour. Then he ran out of the room, spreading small dust clouds on the floor as he used airbending to propel him forward.

As the tension left his body, Judis quickly grabbed his notepad and started scribbling while muttering about taking a shower.

ooOOOOooooOo

Agnis stepped into the living room quietly. Everyone appeared to be asleep, some draped on the couch while the waterbender was lying on the carpet. But just as the spirit healer took another step, everyone jumped up out of their seats and headed over towards Agnis.

A barrage of voices hit him all at once.

"Is he okay? Can I go see him?"

"It's about time. I say five…maybe six hours. That's a new record. I've never seen Aang's avatar stuff take that long!"

The next person who spoke elbowed the person before in the ribs.

"Will the kid be all right?"

The talking continued on and on but one voice stood out among the rest.

"If you've done anything to hurt him, I swear, you will regret that decision for the rest of your life!"

Everyone stopped talking to stare at Zuko while Agnis chuckled.

The firebender glared at all the curious glances. "What?"

The spirit healer smiled. "Don't worry. Aang is recovering quite nicely. I'll still need more time with him, but it least he won't experience the same events that he did the last time he entered the spirit world."

Everyone paused to take this in. Toph looked satisfied with the man's answer and sat back on the couch in a calm manner. Sokka sighed with relief while Suki smiled and leaned her head on the warrior's shoulder. Katara still appeared to be in a state of shock and looked stressed.

Zuko continued to glare at the spirit healer. "I'll believe it when I see him."

Agnis nodded. "You may visit him if you like, but just don't touch him. He'll need time to adjust to the amount of mental images I've sent him."

Sokka stared apprehensively at the wise man. "Huh?"

The spirit healer chuckled again. "I'll explain more later on. Just make sure you don't disturb his 'sleep'."

Zuko froze as he looked behind the older man, his brow furrowing. "He's already awake."

Agnis gasped and looked down the hallway. He frowned as he saw Aang walking towards them. The airbender was moving slowly, as if he didn't quite trust his feet. His hands were clenched at his sides and he was frowning. The frown deepened as he noticed the others standing in the doorway.

Katara was about to run out to confront the airbender but Zuko beat her to it. The firebender quickly ran over towards the airbender, oblivious to the death glare being sent in his direction.

Unthinkingly, Zuko grabbed Aang by the shoulders. "Hey, you're awake."

Faster then he would have thought possible, the airbender swiftly pinned Zuko to the wall, his hot hands nearly burning Zuko through his clothes.

Zuko stared at Aang incredulously. "What in the world are you doing?"

The firebender gasped as he saw Aang's yellow eyes. They were blazing with fury.

"Aang stop!" Katara was about to step in and help, but Agnis spread his hand out, blocking her.

"I'll take care of this."

Katara stared at the spirit healer in shock as he walked over towards Aang. The airbender's expression softened somewhat upon seeing Agnis, but not by much. His hands were still pressing Zuko into the wall in a way that was clearly painful.

The spirit healer looked at Aang and spoke, using a voice that one takes when assuming authority.

"Let him go. No one is trying to hurt you."

Aang growled audibly but complied, letting Zuko go with a rough shove.

Agnis smiled. "See, we shouldn't have to use violence. You of all people should know that."

Zuko stared at the two figures suspiciously. He couldn't help but wonder if there was a certain secret message in the statement that he wasn't getting.

Before anyone else could speak anymore, Aang was off again running down the hallway spreading more gusts of air and dust into the area.

Agnis chuckled lightly, placing his right hand over his eyes. "She's more impatient then I had suspected…"

Zuko frowned at the spirit healer. "Excuse me?"

Sokka waved his hands in the air in a gesture of confidence. "Obviously, there's more Avatar stuff going on here then you can comprehend, Zuko. Basically, that's not Aang. The person you were talking to was the dragon."

Everyone stared at Sokka in awe, Katara in particular wearing the most unbelieving expression.

The warrior shrugged, nonchalantly. "What? I pay attention."

Katara smiled as she shook her head. "Sometimes you simply amaze me old brother of mine…"

Sokka gave her a thumbs up. "Yeah, I'm awesome. You don't have to rub it in."

That resulted with a smirk from Toph while Suki rolled her eyes. Zuko smiled, glad to see the two siblings getting along again. Then he turned back over towards Agnis.

"So, that was the dragon we had just seen in Aang's body."

The spirit healer nodded. "I guess I showed the boy too much. I should have known all that information would have been too much for him. We need to catch up to the dragon quickly. In Aang's body she could do some serious damage. Right now she doesn't know how to do much, but pretty soon all the knowledge in the body will be available to her…"

Zuko placed his hand underneath his chin. "Where would she go?"

Agnis stared solemnly at the young fire lord. "Where do you think?"

The firebender's eyes widened when he realized the place. "But, she can't head over towards the sun warrior village! Would she even be able to figure out where to go?"

"The Red dragon is the originator of the art of firebending. Her ancestors have roamed this place since it was first created. She probably knows this city far better than you."

Agnis quickly started walking in Aang's direction. "If we don't stop her now, she could easily destroy the city not to mention the possibility of the Avatar getting captured…"

Zuko nodded. "I'll have to do this fast. I can't leave for too long otherwise people will think I'm slacking off. Toph, I'll need you to stay with the military and help guard the palace in case of an attack. Katara, I need you to stay here and take care of the rest of the elite's injuries with Judis. Sokka and Suki, you two will come with me into the city and we'll split up…"

Everyone nodded. Despite the flaws in Zuko's plans, they knew right now with the young firebender's stress levels it would be best to do what he says.

Agnis sighed. "I should come with you. I should still be able to detect her aura in this form, which will come in handy as you go into the city…"

Zuko stared at the spirit healer. The older man was repressing it, but the fire lord could see how much energy it was taking him to simply stand straight. He was exhausted.

"Don't worry. We'll find him. You should rest here so that you can help us fix Aang when we get back…"

Agnis nodded, sliding down to sit into the couch. "Just remember, be gentle. If you scare her off she'll do whatever she can to avoid you.'

Zuko nodded. "We'll be back."

As the others left to do their respective jobs, Agnis sighed as sleep began to overcome him.

_Forgive me young Avatar, but I will have to take a small break for now. Wake up soon…_

* * *

><p><strong>Well, that's the end of the chapter. Sorry for the *cough* really long wait, but yeah…school.<strong>

**Thankfully, the holidays are coming up so I should have more time to update…**

**I know that some of you might notice that the preview from the last chapter showed a part that's actually not in this one. I've decided to move it to the next chapter because this is long enough for me (longest chapter I've ever done up to this point…).**

**So here's the preview for chapter 14:**

Preview of Chapter 14

Zuko struggled against the binds gluing him to the ground.

"No matter what others may tell you, I always keep my word. I didn't sell you guys out!"

The new sun warrior chief gave Zuko a nasty smile. "You modern firebenders are all the same, out to destroy everything your little greedy fingers touch."

{}

Agnis stared at Aang solemnly as he listened to the horrors the young airbender recounted.

"I see, so she showed you the inner workings of his chi?"

Aang gasped. "What do you mean?"

Agnis stepped over towards the window in the room. "When a spirit shows you their past, they are engulfing your whole body with energy. Energy from a spirit can be very dangerous, Aang. Only such people like you and me can withstand that much power."

"Okay…"

Agnis turned to look back at the puzzled airbender. "I know it may seem painful now, but the dragon gave you those visions for a reason."

"But why does it have to torture me? I don't need to see visions to understand how much the dragons were mistreated."

"Understand? Well of course you understand. You do realize why the dragon decided to show you and not Zuko, don't you?"

Aang's eyes widened as his breath hitched. "What?"

Agnis went over to Aang and placed his hands on the young Avatar's shoulders.

"She chose you because you are the only one who has fully experienced what the dragon is feeling right at this moment. You both have a strong connection and the sooner you realize that, the sooner you'll be free."

**Last Edit: July 1 2012**


	14. Interlocking Insecurities

…**And here's chapter 14. It was surprisingly very hard to write when I got towards the middle. Hopefully all this time paid off.**

**Enjoy!**

Interlocking Insecurities…

The sun blaring in his face…

A dark, deep jolt of pain…

Energy that can barely be sustained, yet is forced to remain pent up…

And lastly…a very boring plain hat placed on his forehead.

This was a typical morning for Shen, the self-proclaimed impatient leader of the LL Phoenix group. His cover was very annoying but also necessary. Someone had to keep a look out. Any person could be a threat, a major inconvenience that might ruin his plans for the Avatar and the red dragon.

Reality was starting to slowly seep into Shen's personal life as he found more things to question, little actions that could easily start a rebellion in his own group. It had been a particularly bad day yesterday, a day that made Shen question whether he needed a group to overcome the Avatar at all.

He growled lightly as he went towards the window where his customers usually waited. Yesterday had been very bad indeed…

_It was chaos. His men were running around like madmen, some even firebending in his direction. _

_Shen glared and shot a fistful of fire toward the middle of the pack. _

_The men stopped immediately as one blocked the wall of fire that headed in their direction._

_Once the smoke cleared, Shen started clapping his hands. "Well done, you guys actually seem to be working for once. However, it seems your methods have gotten you carried away, eh? Is there any reason why I had to _firebend _to get your attention?"_

_The men rambled among themselves before one stood up and coughed loudly._

"_We…the Princess is in a bad mood, sir. We can't get through to her."_

_Shen growled loudly. "COME ON PEOPLE! This is a fifteen year old girl we're talking about! Show some courage, men!"_

_Jack walked out from the base of the deck staring solemnly at his once best friend. "I think you need to see this…"_

_Shen glared before following Jack. Once they had entered the interior of the ship he could hear the faint sound of metal crashing and the temperature suggested that a lot of firebending had recently taken place._

_They finally reached Azula's room, barely moving in time when a burst of hot blue fire shot through the doorway and in their direction._

_Shen's mouth dropped in awe as he stared at the sight before him. In the middle of the small room was a little girl, her hair in messy tangles and her clothes ripped to shreds. She had been shrieking before they entered and from the scorch marks around her it appeared that she had tried to set the room on fire more than once. The girl's eyes were wild, barely containing the rage exerting from her body which rolled off like steam. Her body coiled upon seeing the men, looking as if she was about to strike. Her fingers looked especially long during this instant and Shen vaguely wondered whether or not she had ever cut them since her involvement in his mission._

_She would attack them at any moment; he could see it in her eyes and her body language. Shen moved into a defensive pose while Jack backed away warily._

_Before any blows could be exchanged, Azula screamed. The sound was piercing, worse than anything Shen had ever heard in his entire life. It reminded him of a wounded animal. The sound then cut off as if the girl had been choked. Then she collapsed onto the ground, her chest heaving with anguished sobs. _

_This was not the princess Shen had rescued from prison._

_Jack looked at Azula with a mixture of pity and caution while Shen simply glared, repulsed._

"_Azula, silence yourself!"_

_The girl either didn't hear him or chose to ignore him. The sobs continued, growing louder and louder. Shen growled. He wasn't going to deal with this. _

_With quick precision Shen walked up to Azula and hit her squarely in the back of the forehead. The girl hit the ground with a sickening crunch on the floor, her body arching back as the sobs cut off abruptly. _

_Jack gasped before running to Azula and placing his hand on her forehead. "What are you doing? Don't kill her!"_

_Shen shrugged. "I don't care about her personal problems. If she can't stabilize herself for our cause, she is useless to us."_

_Jack growled. "She's the fire lord's sister, man! Don't act impulsively about this. It will only end badly."_

_Shen simply walked away from Jack heading back towards the deck. Before opening the door, he turned back to make one last retort._

"_That's the difference between you and me, Jack. You may be with me now, but you've never had the strength to actually push forward and do what needs to be done. You'll never survive that way. You're as good as your father…"_

_He then slammed the door, not bothering to see his right-hand man's reaction…_

Shen clenched his fists. Oh how every memory haunted him…

His reminiscing was interrupted by a cough at his window. It was the women, the same one that had welcomed him the first day of the job. She was one of his most loyal customers still, despite his reputation of being rather brusque and rude with his clients.

It was nice having one stable thing in his messed up life. So he tried his best to compose his expression.

Shen smiled brightly at the women. "Hello, Maria. Nice to see you again."

Maria smiled back. "Yes, I always come here. Been doing it for five years and I won't break the habit now."

Shen smirked. Well, it least she was dedicated. "So what will you need today? A new sweater perhaps? I here black is in this season."

The women laughed. "How surprising. I should have worn my black scarf today."

He laughed along with her. "I'm sure you would have looked magnificent."

Ugh, how he hated using that voice. He had a hard time making it sound genuinely sweet.

The cheerful women, oblivious to his rising discomfort, continued to laugh playfully.

"Actually, I came to ask you about your opinion on a particular event. If I hear any more wild rumors about it I'm afraid I'll storm the palace myself."

Shen's eyes widened. So news of the attack was spreading around. "Hmmm, I guess I can assist you with that."

Maria smiled more brightly. "I've heard of an ambush at the imperial palace. I do hope it wasn't too terrible."

Shen smiled, though this time it had more of a sinister look. "Well, I've heard that the palace took a lot of damage. I'm afraid the attack was quite real. Luckily for us, Fire Lord Zuko survived."

Maria's face had taken on a more saddened shape, but she smiled nonetheless. "Yes, it is great that our leader has still survived. Don't know what this nation would do without him. It would be total anarchy."

Shen nodded, growing bored of the conversation. "You're quite right."

The women shrugged. "Oh, well. I'm sure it's nothing he can't handle. After all, the Avatar is on his side. We should all be fine."

Maria smiled and walked away from the shop. "I'll see you later. Don't forget to save some dresses for me."

Shen nodded. "I'll see what I can do."

Once she was out of sight, Shen sighed with relief. He hated having to pretend to be so…innocent. He was the leader of the LL Phoenix and deserved to be feared. Maria was nice but quite naïve for his taste.

Shen was about to close up shot for the day when he noticed something. Across from the shop a young teen was walking towards him. The boy was very precise in his movements, sort of robotic. His hair was quite long for a kid his age, a very dark messy brown. He was wearing a red robe over some strange looking baggy yellow pants. What really stunned Shen were the eyes. _How could they be such a bright yellow?_

Shen nonetheless composed himself, squaring his shoulders into a more relaxed position. _I really need to find a new cover before this drives me insane…_

"May I help you?"

The boy just stared at him, his face blank. His eyes however blazed brightly. It was if the unseen emotion would burst from the boy's glare.

The unending stare unnerved Shen. He was beginning to wonder if the boy was mad. Shen stared back at the boy for a couple of seconds, and then he repeated his last question at a slower pace.

The boy continued to stare at him, his expression turning quickly into one of frustration. His fists were clenched and shook slightly. He moved his feet from side to side, as if he would soon go off running. In that instant the boy looked very awkward.

Shen sighed and was about to close his window before the boy spoke.

"Do you have a map?"

His voice was quite deep, making Shen guess again at his age. He had obviously asked a question, but it came out sounding like a statement. It was as if the boy was unsure whether such a thing existed.

The Phoenix leader in hiding shrugged. "Look kid, I have plenty of maps. You're going to have to be a little more specific."

The boy frowned, obviously not content with how the exchange was going. He cleared his throat, shifting his feet back and forth again.

"I…need the map of the Sun warrior village."

Shen stared at the boy incredulously. No one knew what really lay in the Sun warrior village. It was mainly just a bunch of ruins for most, except for a couple of old booby traps that the Avatar and fire lord had mentioned to the public. Shen failed to understand why the boy would want to go into that area at all. Of course, the Phoenix leader knew what was out there but he wasn't about to tell the boy that.

"I do have a map of the place, though I would advice that you don't go there. It's just a bunch of old architecture. Plus in order to get there you would have to take a fire nation air balloon. Too much work if you know what I mean…"

The boy was now openly glaring at Shen. For some reason the Phoenix leader could not comprehend, the statement had offended the young teen deeply. Shen sighed. _Kids these days. They just get weirder and weirder…_

"Fine. I'll get the map."

After looking through a couple of drawers, Shen found the map and held it out to the boy. He was surprised to see that the teen was still glaring at him.

The boy snatched the map roughly from the Phoenix leader's grip. Skimming through it quickly, the young teen stayed beside Shen's window. It was silent for a couple of minutes before the boy thrust it back at Shen, scowling.

"Where am I?"

Shen growled at the boy. His temper had reached the breaking point now. "Excuse me? Do I look like a map reader? Go waste someone else's time! I'm closing up shop."

The young teen growled back at the Phoenix healer before running off. Shen swore loudly as he noticed the boy had taken the map.

"HEY! You're supposed to pay for that!"

His yelling was in vain, for the boy had already disappeared. Shen gripped his head, pulling at newly grown hair before kicking his leg wildly at various boxes in front f him. The force of the kick caused him to lose his balance. He could barely control himself from tripping, holding on to the boxes for support. Swearing again, he quickly slammed the window shut.

"Stupid kid…"

oooOOooOOOOoo

Zuko quickly ran to the side, preventing a collision with an old chariot being drawn by a horse.

"Get out of the way, ya lunatic!"

The young fire lord sucked in a breath to prevent himself from firing back a comment. If only that man knew who he was dealing with. He would have taken ten minutes just apologizing while bowing down, his head touching the ground as the young fire lord stood before him. But Zuko wasn't going to make him do that. After all, he was trying to _not_ attract attention to himself.

Unfortunately, this was easier said than done.

Zuko was currently wearing a disguise; a plain red shirt and baggy tan pants along with dark brown shoes. This all went along with a very interesting mask Sokka had created for him. It wasn't the best, but it least it kept him from being recognized.

Zuko had already split up with Sokka and Suki long ago and was already done searching through the lower half of the town. So far, there was no sign of Aang…or rather the red dragon in Aang's body. The young fire lord could only hope that no one noticed the young Avatar running around in the streets.

Most of the citizens didn't know what Aang looked like. Many had seen him back during Zuko's coronation along with paintings of the Avatar in air nomad attire. But besides that, there was no other media or art work that showcased the young teen who kept the four nations in balance.

Aang rarely ever came out in public. Zuko had done this awhile ago on purpose as a way to prevent unnecessary stress for the young Avatar. Apparently, that plan had also proven to be unsuccessful as a flood of various memories hit Zuko like a rock. _Don't worry Aang, I'll fix this. I can it least promise you that much…_

Before the young fire lord could get to discouraged, he noticed a small red figure running toward him at a fast speed. He didn't have a chance to block before the boy crashed into him.

A wave of heat hit Zuko, spreading all over his body where ever the boy's body pressed against him. It was like being next to an open oven.

Grimacing, Zuko held out his hand towards the boy. "Sorry about that…"

The breath in the young fire lord's throat hitched as he recognized the young teen in front of him. Swallowing slowly, Zuko helped raise Aang, or the dragon, up off the ground.

Snarling, the young airbender pushed the firebender's hand away as he shifted his body back into a running position. He was about to take off when Zuko stepped abruptly in front of him.

"Wait, you dropped something…"

Making sure his movements were slow, Zuko carefully placed a crumbled up map back into Aang's hands. The young teen stared at it with an expression ranging between frustration and anguish.

Zuko sighed before taking his mask off, causing Aang to flinch.

"Hey, we've been looking for you."

Aang glared at Zuko menacingly, a guttural sound forming in the back of his throat.

Zuko raised his hands in surrender. "Look, I'm not going to fight you or force you to come back with us. But that is my friend's body you're using. I just want to make sure he's safe despite being locked away in your mind…"

Aang shifted, moving uneasily from toe to toe. His eyes narrowed as he assessed Zuko, uncertain of the firebender's claims. "I…I don't trust you."

The young fire lord nodded. "And I don't expect you to. But we need to learn to work together if you ever want to be free again. Whenever you use Aang's body, we need you to stay with us. We have to keep you and the Avatar safe."

Aang stared straight ahead past Zuko, his yellow eyes turning solid. His mouth was trembling and his hands were shaking.

Zuko sighed and placed his hands on the young airbender's shoulder. The young teen flinched automatically from the touch, but didn't push the firebender's hand away.

"Relax. No one is going to hurt you."

Aang repressed the urge to growl at Zuko, his body tensing. "Let…go of me…"

"I just want to help. Please, let me do something. Anything."

The young airbender glared at Zuko. "Let. Me. Go."

The young fire lord quickly let his hands dangle at his sides. "Sorry."

Aang continued to glare at Zuko before holding up the map unwillingly in the firebender's direction.

Zuko glanced at it, quickly recognizing the markings showing where the Sun warrior village was located.

Another sigh went through the young fire lord's body. "You want me to take you there?"

Aang nodded curtly, his body tensing as he studied Zuko's expression.

The firebender squared his shoulders before crossing his arms. He cleared his throat deeply before speaking.

"Alright, I'll take you. But can you promise me something first?"

Aang's expression immediately turned sour. With what seemed like a lot of effort, the young airbender nodded.

"After I take you there and clear things up with the villagers, will you come back with me to the palace? We can't separate you from Aang if you don't cooperate."

Aang closed his eyes tightly before nodding, his jaw set. "I'll…come back with you."

Zuko smiled before touching the young airbender's shoulder lightly. "That's all I ask for."

Sighing heavily, Aang followed Zuko closely as the firebender placed his mask back on.

oooOOooOOOOOo

"Face it, we're lost."

"Suki, I know what I'm doing. There is power in improvising."

Sokka and Suki were currently in one of the town's squares. Both dressed as civilians, they didn't stand out much since there was a fairly large amount of people walking around.

"Sokka, it's been an hour. We've been going around in circles for the last twenty minutes. Maybe we should head back towards the palace…"

Sokka smirked as he held a large map in front of him. "Relax. I'm great with maps. Sure, it's taking awhile for me to recognize some of the landmarks, but that's a given. I've got it this time. We'll reach the rendezvous point in like…"

Sokka glanced around him, then quickly placed his face back on the map. "…in about ten minutes if we follow this path."

The particular "path" Sokka was pointing to was an extremely dirty alley. The corridors stretched in long narrow paths and were covered with bits of trash at every turning point. The walls along the sides were moldy and if one looked one would see the various rats running along the narrow path.

Suki stared at her husband, her expression looking as if she was about to squash a cockroach. Sokka smiled at her crookedly.

Suki sighed. "Really?"

The warrior scowled. "Well excuse me? I'm just the one with the MAP! Come on, it will be over before you know it…"

With a low moan, Suki slowly made her way along the path while Sokka sped through, two steps ahead. Apparently, the filthy obstacles didn't seem to bother him.

At the halfway point, Sokka had taken to skipping and was humming a catchy tune when he spotted a dark figure ahead of him. Squinting, he started walking faster nearly bumping into a trash can in his clumsiness. Suki grumbled to herself as she changed her pace to match her husband's.

Once they had reached the end of the corridor and entered back into the market, Sokka stopped abruptly causing Suki to fall behind him in a heap.

"Ow, Sokka!"

The warrior ignored her as he walked into the middle of the street, glaring as he quickly moved his head back and forth. Suki sighed, pushing herself up and walked over to Sokka. Placing her hands on his shoulders, she kissed his neck softly.

"Is something wrong?"

"Yeah, sorry…it's just…did you see that guy?"

Suki eyes widened. "Hmn?"

Sokka stared stubbornly into the distance. "I…it looked like the guy who had knocked me out back at the palace."

Suki shrugged. "I'm sure it was just your imagination."

The warrior frowned. "I guess. I did hit my head pretty hard…"

Suki smiled lightly. "Don't worry about it, okay?"

Sokka shrugged while rubbing his ear. "Whatever you say…"

Before the couple could continue their search, Zuko made his way into the middle of the street, proudly towing Aang with him. Sokka smiled as he saw the firebender still wearing the mask. Suki just shook her head slowly.

"Hey guys, I found him."

Sokka nodded, still smiling. "I can see that. So, are we heading back now?"

Zuko nodded. "You guys are. Aang and I…I mean, the dragon and I have some important business to take care of."

Sokka placed his hand underneath his chin. "Hmmm, you know I think he needs a name change…"

Zuko furrowed his brow. "What?"

The warrior shrugged. "Well think about it. We shouldn't be calling him...I mean her…Aang. It would just be too confusing. So…"

Sokka raised his finger into the air dramatically, and then he brought it back down towards the young airbender.

"We shall call you…THE RED INFERNO!"

Suki grimaced as she held her hands up to protect her ears. Aang looked livid while Zuko grunted.

"Not going to happen, Sokka."

Suki giggled softly as Sokka fumed. "What are you talking about? T.R.I. is good."

Zuko shook his head. "It needs to be something more creative than that. Something that won't make us groan in agony every time we say it."

"Eona…"

Everyone stared at Aang, or rather the red dragon.

"Is…that your name?" Zuko asked softly.

Eona looked at the ground. "Original name…"

Zuko nodded. "Okay, Eona it is then."

Sokka smiled. "Kind of weird when you think about it."

An elbow in the ribs from Suki caused Sokka to clear his throat. "…Oh, but it is a great name. A great name indeed…"

Zuko smiled. "You couldn't help yourself, could you?"

Suki laughed. "He can't."

Sokka growled. "Hey! I was making a compliment!"

Zuko smirked before turning over towards Eona. "Thanks for telling us."

The dragon nodded, though it came out looking more like a bobble in Aang's body.

Zuko stretched his shoulders as he turned back towards Sokka and Suki. "Alright. So you guys head back toward the palace. We have things to catch up on."

Sokka frowned. "Like what?"

Zuko took in a deep breath, his eyes lit with new determination. "I'm going to the Sun Warrior village. It's long overdue, but I have to start somewhere. I have to clear my name…"

The firebender looked down at Eona. "…and I have a promise to keep."

Sokka nodded. "Well good luck with that. Hopefully they won't tear you to shreds."

Zuko looked up into the sky bitterly. "Let's hope…"

oooOOOooOoo

Katara leaned against the side of the wall breathing heavily. Her clothes were dark and coated with dust at the ends near her shoes. Her hair was tangled, falling out of the tight bun she made it into earlier. Her eyes were red and blood shot while her fingers twitched from overuse. She was still tightly clutching a broomstick, having swept up nearly the entire first floor of the palace.

Sighing, the young waterbender sank down until she was sitting on the ground, her head tilted against her knees. The broomstick had fallen to the ground, making a loud noise against the floor beside her.

She had spent most of the afternoon cleaning. Many of the house servants had tried to stop her, but she had pushed them away. The only break she had was a quick healing session with some of the guards before going back to her obsessive cleaning.

Besides the sweeping, the dishes had been washed, the dining room table furnished and shined, the hardware floors mopped, and her room was made up. Katara had also taken the liberty of cleaning Aang's room, which had taken most of her time. The most frustrating part had been the soot which was hard to get up.

In all the young waterbending master had worked nonstop for three miserable hours. It didn't really help her feel any better, but it had been a nice distraction.

Sighing, Katara let her head drift to the side, too tired to get up. Before she could fall asleep she felt a hand touch her shoulder.

Katara opened her eyes slowly seeing Agnis staring down compassionately at her. "You shouldn't work yourself so hard."

She shrugged off the comment. "I could say the same for you…"

Agnis smiled. "True, but as you can see I have had my rest. You should get some too."

Katara's mumbled her next words. "Bout to…"

Agnis laughed softly. "I see. I just thought I should give you a chance to see him before you do."

Her eyes widening, Katara sat up in a straight position. "Come again?"

Agnis chuckled. "I think I have enough energy to communicate with Aang from inside the dragon's mind. If you keep your hand connected with my skin, you should be able to see him too. Unfortunately, you won't be able to speak with him but that's better than nothing. Am I right?"

Katara nodded, her eyes shining with new joy. "Yes. If I could just see him it would be less painful. Just for a little bit…"

Agnis nodded. "Alright then, hold my hand."

The young waterbender placed her hand upon the spirit healer's as he closed his eyes sitting back into the lotus position.

After a few minutes of silence had passed, Katara felt the force of something sucking her feet. Pretty soon her whole body felt like it was passing through a vacuum.

Grimacing, Katara held on harder as the force sent her into a spin. The whirling continued until a bright white light flashed in front of the waterbender, causing her to shield her eyes.

Immediately, her body shot forward sending her landing into what appeared like hard asphalt. Groaning, Katara looked up into what appeared to be a large white room. There was one window on the far right side and a large grey door lay open behind her. In front of her sitting in a rather large bed was Aang. He looked very calm, as if he had been in the place for quite awhile.

Katara was about to run over towards him when she stopped at the sight of her skin. It was completely translucent, so much so that she found it hard to distinguish the outline of her own hand. The olive color of her arm was the only thing showing, making Katara feel like a brown glowing candle. She watched anxiously as Agnis materialized next to Aang on the right side of the bed.

The young airbender jumped with a shout as the Spirit Healer laughed.

"Aw, darn! I told you to stop that!"

Agnis couldn't stop chuckling. "It really isn't my intention. I guess to you it must seem like I'm doing it on purpose."

Aang groaned loudly while Agnis laughed in the background. With a large sigh, the airbender settled into his bed staring at the spirit healer dully.

"So what took you so long?"

Agnis placed his hand on Aang's forehead. "Relax, I'll tell you. But first let's catch up on what you've been doing. I'm sure you might have seen more memories of the dragon.

Aang frowned. "There's a lot. I'm not sure if I can summarize it into words…"

Agnis sat next to Aang on the bed as Katara sat back into a sitting position from afar.

Agnis smiled as he looked out the window. "We have time…"

oooOOOOooOOoo

Zuko sighed as he looked over his surroundings. The wind was ruffling his hair softly as the air balloon carried him and his companion higher into the sky. All around them were various mountain ranges and peaks colored in specks of grey, white, and green against a glossy fog that covered up their depths. The sun was shining lightly, the rays playfully messing with the symmetries of the mountain ranges bellow. It was quite beautiful and Zuko was sure Aang would have gushed over seeing something like this.

But Aang wasn't here with him right now.

The firebender cleared his throat and turned back over toward Aang…no, he had to get used to calling her Eona now…

Zuko sighed as he tried to think of something to say. He frowned as his mind went blank. _Man, I hate small talk…_

Huffing loudly, Zuko muttered the only comment he could think of. "Cool clouds…"

Eona just stared at him to the point where he looked away.

The dragon shrugged, twisting her fingers slowly. "Clouds…"

"Yep." Zuko popped the 'p'.

Silence lasted for about five minutes causing Zuko to sigh again. He was about to take a nap when he heard the dragon speak again.

"It's…so strange…"

Zuko turned his head. "Hnn?"

"I mean…being like this…"

Zuko shrugged. "I guess that's natural. It must be pretty overbearing to go from being an animal to a human in a day. Can't really imagine it…"

Eona frowned as she took in a deep breath. "I…can hear his thoughts…"

Zuko's eyes widened. "What do you mean? Whose thoughts?"

The dragon continued to frown. "I…don't know…"

Zuko stared at Eona. "Don't worry, okay. We'll handle it when the time comes…"

Silence hung in the air as their balloon started moving faster. As the wind blew harder, the young fire lord stood up to shoot more fire into the middle device of the balloon which helped to sustain their elevation.

Once that was done, Zuko looked out to see if they were close to their destination. He could barely see anything as the fog swirled around, distorting the natural landscapes around them.

Sighing, Zuko continued to stare as his mind started spinning. "Um…so how are you feeling right now?"

As he turned Zuko jumped as he saw the dragon's expression. Aang's eyes were wide open, his bright yellow eyes really standing out against the dark reds and browns of his outfit. His body was poised in what Zuko took to be an attack position.

Before he could really panic, Eona raced over to the side of the balloon nearly knocking Zuko into the air. She had Aang's body positioned over the edge, her breath coming out of in large deep wisps. A wide smile broke out on Aang's face.

"We're here."

Grumbling, Zuko dusted his pants off. "I think we still have a couple more minutes before we reach the village. Don't get too excited…"

A big wisp of air hit the firebender in the face, sending him into a somersault until he hit the other side of the basket. Huffing, Zuko sat up in time to see the outline of Aang's body falling through the air.

"What the-HEY!"

Zuko glared at where Eona had just been. Shaking his head, Zuko took in a deep breath. He raised his hands up and brought them down slowly as he exhaled softly. Then with a grunt, he leaped out of the balloon and into the air, shooting a strong burst of fire out of his hands and feet.

The force propelled him towards the ground at an alarming rate, but Zuko used firebending to control his direction as he whizzed through the air and fog.

He eventually went through the haze unknowingly smashing into the roof of a temple. It was crusted and molded-over, suggesting a large amount of time had passed since the building had been made. Bits of the building fell with him as Zuko hit the ground with a large thud.

The impact of his landing caused the wind to be knocked out of him. Zuko could also hear a large crack resonate somewhere in his lower right leg. Coughing loudly, the firebender rose himself slowly into a sitting position glaring ominously at the old temple in front of him.

"Well…that was a dumb move…"

Sighing again, Zuko took in his surroundings. _Well, it least we found the village…_

He could see now that he was outside the exact same temple that had the statues showing Aang and him the dragon dance. The building's design resembled a staircase. The angle and height made Zuko wonder if the temple had once been bigger.

Before he could contemplate further, a force hit him in the side. Growling, Zuko turned towards the force where Eona was nudging him.

"Alright, alright. I'm getting up…"

Eona shook her head. "No…I sense someone…"

Zuko's eyes narrowed. He quickly rose up pushing Eona behind him. "Stay close to me."

As the words left his mouth a group of warriors emerged from the shadows. They were marked with white and black paints unlike the reds and golds Zuko remembered from their last visit. The people were pointing large staffs towards Zuko as they circled him warily. One of them with large white earrings stepped forward.

"State your business young travelers."

Zuko sucked in another deep breath before raising his hands up in surrender. "I'm here to see the chief. My name is Zuko."

At the sound of his name, the warriors pushed their staffs closer towards him, nearly piercing Zuko through the gut. They stopped inches before reaching his body, their bodies tensing. Zuko took in another deep breath as the silence continued. The firebender could also feel Eona stiffening behind him as the atmosphere remained thick.

After a couple more minutes of silence, the same warrior from before spoke. "Bind him and the other one. Prepare them for the chief."

Zuko sighed as the warriors closed in on him.

oooOOOOOoOOo

The talking continued as Katara found herself drifting back and forth, in and out of consciousness. It seemed like hours since Agnis had brought her with him into the back of Aang's mind. The waterbender was trying her best to stay awake but it was getting harder by the minute. She could even feel a force tugging on her shoulders and knees as if begging her body to return to the real world.

Despite the obstacles, Katara kept her eyes open and stayed alert as Aang and Agnis talked.

As for them, Agnis stared at Aang solemnly as he listened to the horrors the young airbender recounted.

"I see, so she showed you the inner workings of her chi?"

Aang gasped. "What do you mean?"

Agnis stepped over towards the window in the room. "When a spirit shows you their past, they are engulfing your whole body with energy. Energy from a spirit can be very dangerous, Aang. Only such people like you and me can withstand that much power."

Aang's facial expression looked similar to one who had just missed a joke. "Okay…"

Agnis turned to look back at the puzzled airbender. "I know it may seem painful now, but the dragon gave you those visions for a reason."

"But why does it have to torture me? I don't need to see visions to understand how much the dragons were mistreated."

"Understand? Well of course you understand. You do realize why the dragon decided to show you and not Zuko, don't you?"

Aang's eyes widened as his breath hitched. "What?"

Agnis went over to Aang and placed his hands on the young Avatar's shoulders.

"She chose you because you are the only one who has fully experienced what the dragon is feeling right at this moment. You both have a strong connection and the sooner you realize that, the sooner you'll be free."

Aang sat back into the bed, his hands gripping his head. "Man…sometimes it's just too much…"

Agnis smiled sympathetically, his face turning weary. "I think I know the feeling…"

As he spoke, his body flickered appearing in front of Aang like the wisps of a candle. The young airbender gasped as the bed turned into water while the nearby window shattered.

Katara rose from her sitting position as the walls started to crumble around her. She started running towards Agnis as pieces of the ceiling nearly fell on top of her frail body.

As the room started tearing apart, Aang looked down at his body. He was horrified to see his legs disappearing, turning into small white puffs of dust and smoke. As the dust started coming out of his waist, Aang looked up to see Agnis pressing his hand hard against his forehead.

"I'm sorry. Looks like I overstayed my welcome. Don't worry. I'll get you out of this soon…"

Before he could make a response, the room split open into two sections sending everyone drifting into the air. As Aang's body dissolved into dust, he noticed the faint outline of a dark haired figure running towards him.

Unconsciously, Aang raised his hand towards the figure before dissolving completely in the air.

Katara felt herself being plunged back into a hole, her body shrouded in darkness. Her body went through many twists and turns before jumping back into itself sending Katara slamming into her regular body back on the floor.

Katara took in a shaky breath as she slowly rose up to her feet followed by a very weary looking spirit healer.

Coughing, Agnis leaned against the wall barely able to keep himself in a standing position. The waterbender offered her hand but Agnis waved her off insisting that she need not worry. Katara frowned lightly before turning away just in time to see a servant approaching her.

"Ah, miss. I don't mean to disturb you but there is someone at the palace gate…"

Katara nodded. "It's okay. Who is it?"

The servant shifted from foot to foot. "Well…let's just say that the fire lord has forbidden this person entrance into the palace."

Katara frowned again. "That doesn't sound good."

The waterbender turned back towards Agnis. "I'm going to go check this out. Will you be alright?"

The spirit healer nodded. "I'll be fine, got a little carried away there... Go ahead and go."

"Alright."

Katara nodded again towards the servant before racing down the hallway towards the castle gates. She was breathing heavily by the time she had reached the main door, but luckily she had enough strength to push the door open.

Barely opening it, Katara squeezed herself through the doorway and walked over slowly to the gate.

Clasping her hands on the gate, Katara looked through the bars to see someone standing outside with a black cloak on.

Katara sighed before speaking. "Hello?"

The figure shook uncontrollably before taking a step back. "Huh, didn't see you there. You look awful."

Katara's eyes narrowed as she tried to make out the figure. "Excuse me?"

The figure chuckled darkly before lifting the hood, revealing a set of long, black hair rolled up into two pigtails. "It's been awhile. Almost didn't recognize you."

Katara's eyes widened as her breath hitched. "…Mai?"

oooOOOOoOOOooo

The sky was getting darker as the sun nearly went under the horizon. Zuko stared at the sunset wistfully trying to get into a more comfortable position, despite the sticky substance holding him to the ground.

Eona was also stuck beside him. She had entered an unresponsive state since they had reached the long staircase that used to house the two masters of fire. Zuko wondered whether the area was giving off bad vibes for the dragon, but he was too focused on speaking to the new sun chief to ask.

Right when he was about to fall asleep, various warriors started entering the area along with the new chief, all dressed in black and white attire.

_I wonder if they're dressing that way to mourn_, Zuko thought as he struggled against his binds.

As the new chief walked towards him, Zuko recognized him as the right hand man of the former chief. His expression was cold and hard, devoid of any devotion. His body was stiff and solemn, carrying of the air of someone who was used to bad news.

Zuko sighed. _This is not going to be pretty…_

More warriors approached the area, setting fires in a circular pattern around the ground leading to the staircase. Everyone was eerily quiet, barely making a noise except for their firebending and soft footsteps.

The silence was driving Zuko insane. He had to say something, anything.

"No matter what others may tell you, I always keep my word. I didn't sell you guys out!"

Everyone stopped what they were doing and stared at Zuko wordlessly. The firebender stared back at them desperately while beating himself mentally in the head.

_And Uncle said I didn't think things through…_

The new sun warrior chief stepped even closer to Zuko, giving him a nasty smile. "You modern firebenders are all the same, out to destroy everything your little greedy fingers touch."

Zuko swallowed, his eyes darkening. "Look, it wasn't me. And I'm certain that my Uncle didn't say a word about it either. We do care for your people and the legacy of the dragons. We respect this place and its inhabitants. I don't know how the information leaked out but it wasn't of our doing."

The chief stared at him dully. "Why should we trust you? You could be distracting us, covering your tracks long enough so that our last dragon can be captured and killed."

Zuko glared. "I've come before you today not as a firebender, but as a man who wants to prove his innocence. My clothes are dirty and torn. I sprained my leg. And my balloon is crashed somewhere leaving us stranded. Yet, here I stand today, or rather…"

Zuko glanced at his body which was still glued to the ground. "Well, I'm here. My body and my word is my proof. And I won't back out on that."

The chief smirked. "Let's say, hypothetically, that I believe you. What about your friend over there, the Avatar. Should I just believe him too? Do you have any facts supporting his innocence?"

Zuko's eyes widened. _Darn! How did I not see this coming!_

The firebender gulped as he turned over towards the dragon, who was still staring off into space.

"My friend…he's not the one to blame. I can't…I mean, he can't really…"

Zuko struggled to express Aang's conditions with the right words, but the thought was caught in his throat refusing to come out of his mouth.

The new chief smiled again. "We know nothing about the Avatar's intentions or what his purpose was for coming here. Therefore, we will assume that he is guilty. Guards, take him to the place of judgment!"

Zuko swore and struggled against his bindings as the warriors swarmed around Eona, lifting her up into the ground and headed up towards the stairs.

Zuko glared at the warriors. "NO! You don't know what you're doing! Don't hurt him!"

The new chief just shook his head at the young firelord as the warriors reached the top of the staircase imbedded into the cliff between the two mountains. The beach was down below them, the last of the sun's rays hitting the grains of sand making it glitter like rhinestones.

At the sight of the beach, Eona could feel words rushing into her mind from long before…

_We must protect your species! _

_You are the only one who can show us the full meaning of fire now... _

_GO!_

_Long live the Phoenix King!_

Eona clutched her ears and screamed. The screams echoed off the walls of the mountains, the force sending some men falling off the staircase while some clutched their ears as they collapsed onto the ground.

Zuko's eyes widened as all the fire surrounding them went up into the air, forming a whirlwind that went towards Eona and swept through her body. The flames went up into the air forming into yellows, blues, purples, blacks, and a lot of reds. The heat of the fire sent more warriors down the stairs while others saw blisters forming along their backs and sides.

The flames continued to roar loudly until they disappeared completely, replacing Aang's body with the large towering form of the red dragon growling menacingly.

Zuko shook his head unbelievingly as the new chief gawked in astonishment.

_Well, they wanted their dragon. And she came through…_

The warriors bowed and trembled as the dragon roared loudly into the sky…

* * *

><p><strong>Ahhhh, the ending of another long chapter. I'll try to make the next one a little shorter if I can. Hope you all enjoyed reading this story so far. See you next time!<strong>

**And have a great thanksgiving! :D**

Chapter 15 preview

Zuko's eyes widened. His jaw was stiff and aching as he clenched his fists audibly.

It was amazing how his reactions could change so suddenly, how everything could be warped out of its original perspective. All because of the women standing in front of him.

Mai smiled, though her eyes were extremely cold. "Hello, Zuko."

{}

Aang gasped as he felt something shoot out of his lower back.

Sokka turned towards the gaping young teen. "Hey, what's wrong with you? You look a little green."

The airbender looked up, his eyes wide and frightened. "I think…something just came out of my back."

Sokka looked behind him. "Whoa, I'd say that was an understatement…"

Aang took in a deep breath and took a peak. There was a large, scaly tail waving back and forth behind him.

Aang groaned audibly. "Oh that's just great…"

**Last Edit: July 1 2012**


	15. Internal Compromises

**Sorry for the really long wait, my computer has been really messing up. (and let's face it, if there is no internet connection...then you can't update...-_-)**

**I actually wrote this a while ago, but I couldn't update it until now. Also, it's getting close to the time when I have to take my AP tests, SO I have a lot of studying to do. Anyway, here's a summary to help you guys remember.**

**Summary: Aang has been having an internal/external struggle with the red dragon from the Sun Warrior's temple. The great beast has fused with the airbender causing them to switch bodies at random points. Agnis, a spirit healer, is currently staying at Zuko's palace trying to separate Aang and the dragon into two separate beings.**

**Zuko and Aang are now at the Sun Warrior temple to negotiate and clear their names (the villagers think that the duo is responsible for the Blue dragon's death).**

**Meanwhile, Shen a paranoid firebender (who is responsible for the blue dragon's death) is busy plotting a way to destroy the Avatar and return the fire nation to its former glory. He helped Azula escape from a mental prison in order to achieve this goal.**

Internal Compromises

Aang opened his eyes, blinking rapidly.

His surroundings looked very strange, as if he were watching everything from the air up high.

He could feel his large jaws moving up and down, his sharp jaws panting heavily as puffs of smoke escaped here and there. His hands were long and scaly, the red skin blurring with the sun behind him. His body was very long, spread out in intertwining circles as muscular wings kept him afloat.

_Looks like I'm in the body of the dragon again. But something seems different…_

Aang moved his head from side to side, his nostrils still puffing smoke up lightly with each breath. He could feel himself pumping his wings to stay in the air while his tail continued to wave back and forth below him. The motions felt natural to him as if they were embedded in his mind.

Hesitantly, Aang tried to lower himself to the ground. His scaly hand and claws scraped the ground but his body still hovered in the air. Aang sighed though it came out as a sort of light growl in his new uncomfortable body.

_Ugh, how does this work…_

As he continued to lower himself, the young airbender noticed people running below them. At first they all looked too small for him to distinguish, but after a few moments of focusing he was able to make out the details.

They appeared to be Sun Warrior villagers, except their outfits consisted of white and black colors unlike the red and oranges Aang had associated them with. They were running all over the place, reminding the young Avatar of ants scuttling for crumbs.

After scanning them briefly Aang finally spotted Zuko. He appeared to be stuck to the ground, unable to move while a tall man with a headdress stood firmly next to him. They were both staring at Aang with awe, though one looked more enthusiastic then the other.

_I have to get to Zuko. Once they see the dragon protecting him, they'll trust us enough to let us leave…_

Aang pumped his scaly arms harder as he tried to angle his body towards Zuko and the new Chief. He couldn't fully control the movement however and his body ended up slamming into the wall of a cave. The rubble dripped down from the wall like snow nearly crushing the warriors underneath.

With a scowl, Aang tried again. His body coiled in weird oval like spirals before landing close to Zuko. His tail wiggled back in a sweep like fashion breaking Zuko out of his chains and slamming him into the wall.

The new chief trembled but stood his ground next to the dragon before him. "Please, great beast! Have mercy!"

Aang coughed as he pushed his huge arms against the ground to push himself back up. Unfortunately the cough ended up sending fire out of his mouth nearly scorching the chief standing before him.

The chief ran aimlessly for a couple of seconds before standing ten feet away from the Aang. As more warriors ran over towards the chief, Zuko picked himself up from the ground.

After catching his breath, Zuko slowly walked towards the Aang with his hands up. "It's okay, Eona. No one is going to hurt you."

_Eona?_

Aang turned his head to stare at Zuko, unable to convey his puzzlement through his reptilian face.

Zuko squinted as he looked at the dragon's face more clearly. "Is…is that you, Aang?"

A small movement of his head was the only way for Aang to nod.

The young firelord sighed before walking closer to Aang. "I'm glad you're still in there. It least you don't have to deal with all the drama happening here."

Zuko couldn't tell for sure but it looked like the dragon was rolling his eyes.

Chuckling, Zuko raised his hand and slowly rubbed Aang's muzzle. "Don't worry. We'll get you out of there soon…"

Before Aang could think of a way to respond, the Sun warrior villages approached them.

The New Chief stared at the duo with suspicion. But after a couple of minutes, the Chief bowed down unwillingly.

"It seems the dragon has accepted your apology and is willing to negotiate with you. However, I'm afraid your friend isn't getting another chance. We are all very sorry since we know how much this will threaten the newfound balance in your world…"

Zuko gawked at the Chief. "What are you talking about?"

"Why, your friend's death of course. The Avatar has been vanquished. We pay our respects…"

It took Zuko a couple of seconds to figure out that the Chief was talking about Aang.

"Oh…well…don't worry. Aang just went…to the spirit world."

The Chief furrowed his brow. "What?"

Zuko smiled sheepishly. "He went into the spirit world to contact this dragon so that we could prove our innocence. And now…"

Zuko gestured towards the dragon behind him. The Chief still looked suspicious, but he appeared to be buying the story.

"Very well. We will release you."

Zuko bowed. "Thank you. We will return the dragon back soon. But for now, I need to take him with me to the colonies. I'll organize a place for the dragon so that it will be safe."

The Chief nodded. "We'll hold you to that promise. Please, do all you can to find the person responsible for the attack. My people would be forever grateful."

"I'll let you know when I've found him. Thank you for understanding."

Zuko then started walking away from the cave while Aang followed in dragon form. Once they had exited the ceremonial grounds, Zuko turned so that he was facing Aang.

"Okay, so we're covered for now but we still have a lot more to accomplish. We need to find my war balloon. From the altitude we were at, I'm sure it would have crashed somewhere in these ruins."

Aang stared at the firebender. He then repositioned his body so that his back was facing Zuko.

In the process he accidentally flicked his tail back, sending Zuko flying again into a stone wall.

Zuko coughed. "Yeah, could you quit doing that?"

Zuko could barely make out the dragon moving in what appeared to be its form of a shrug.

With a large sigh, the firebender walked back towards Aang. His eyes narrowed suspiciously as he glanced at his friend's position.

Zuko's next words sounded very disbelieving. "Do you…want me to climb up on your back?"

Aang nodded.

Zuko sighed again before climbing up near the midsection of Aang's body. "Okay, I'm up."

Before he could take another breath, Aang shot into the sky. His body coiled oddly making Zuko nearly fall off. He reached out and grabbed Aang's tail, hanging on for his dear life.

"Aang! Hey! Quit moving like that!"

The young airbender tried to control his speed, but the natural instincts deep within his new body made him want to go even faster. He eventually settled at a slow enough pace so that Zuko could climb back up.

Once he had reached Aang's large head, Zuko slowly applied pressure on Aang's horns.

"Alright. We need to get back to the imperial palace. Do you know the way from here?"

Aang nodded. He didn't exactly remember the directions, but he could tell that the dragon had recently been there as different images began to settle in his head. He should be able to follow the dragon's path to the mansion.

Zuko braced himself as Aang started flying faster, his body still coiling in on himself as they headed towards the setting sun…

oooOOOooOooo

Katara tapped her foot impatiently while Mai sat calmly on the couch. It had been five hours and there was still no sign of Sokka or Suki.

All this time without knowing if Aang was in the fire nation was starting to drive the waterbender crazy. The shock of seeing Mai hadn't helped.

Mai stared dully at Katara while said waterbender chewed on her fingernails.

"Why are you worrying so much? They're going to be fine." Mai said this with a depressed air, as if she believed the exact opposite.

Katara frowned. "I…I just hate being on the inside. I have to do something."

"All you're doing is stressing yourself out. You should just lay down or something…"

Katara smiled. "Well, I haven't slept in a while so…"

Mai raised an eyebrow. "So…?"

"I'll just wait until Sokka shows up."

The former knife-throwing assassin shrugged. "Whatever. Don't come crying to me when you start going grey."

Katara glared at Mai. "What's your problem? Why are you even here?"

Mai smiled though her eyes had turned cold. "Here to see my boyfriend. What did you expect?"

Katara sighed before sitting on the couch. "You and Zuko are still together?"

"Well yes. How else do you think he does his work?"

Katara shrugged. "I don't know. He doesn't talk about you that much. Whenever one of us asks him about it he just gets angry and changes the subject…"

Mai laughed bitterly. "He's still that insensitive? Some things just never change…"

Katara rubbed the back of her neck, trying to think of a way to ask her next question without being to nosy.

"So, um…you guys are separated?"

Mai stared at the ceiling. "I don't know what we are. He just…doesn't want to see me anymore."

"Why?"

Mai sighed as she continued to stare emotionlessly at the ceiling. After a couple of minutes of silence, she raised her voice to speak.

Before a word could escape from her mouth, a large pounding sound was heard. Katara jumped from her spot on the couch and ran towards the door.

She opened the door quickly. There stood Sokka and Suki, both of whom looked extremely dirty.

Katara smiled widely. "Sokka!"

"Hey sis! You won't believe what it took to get bac-"

Katara hugged Sokka hard, cutting off his reply while Suki chuckled softly.

Just as Katara was starting to let go of her brother, she spotted someone outside the gates. The person had long dark hair that covered up their face. The person's skin was deathly white, almost translucent looking. Katara could also see long nails poking out here and there.

Her brow furrowing as she recognized the different features, she quickly turned back to Sokka. "Is someone following you?"

"What? No. When did you get so paranoid? With the route we took no one would have been able to follow us even if they tried."

Suki rolled her eyes. "It's true. We ended up stopping everywhere but here."

Sokka smirked at his wife. "Please, you were stopped just as much as I did. We didn't have to go into that spa, but no. We just had to see what the prices were like."

"That's because you lead us to that area in the first place!"

As they continued bickering, Katara turned her head back towards the gate.

_What? She's gone. I guess it was just my imagination…_

Katara sighed with relief before leading Suki and Sokka into the living room to meet their uninvited guest.

oooOOOOoOoo

Just as the trio entered the palace, two people stepped out of the bushes that were outside the main gate.

The man trembled before speaking to the young teen next to him. "I think the coast is clear…"

The teen glared at the man causing him to back away warily. The teen then turned back towards the palace before speaking.

"Why did you stop me?"

"Uh, your highness…"

Azula snarled before slapping the man in the face. "Why didn't you let me attack them?"

The man bowed before her. "It…now's not the time. We have to follow Shen's orders exactly. If we strike too soon, this will all have been for nothing. We have to be careful…"

Azula smiled before placing a hand on the man's cheek. The man shuddered at how cold her hands were to the touch.

Slowly, Azula brought her face closer towards the man, her lips inches from his. She then moved over towards his ear, whispering softly.

"If I were you, I'd be more careful about following my orders, not Shen's. He doesn't understand the full consequences of his choices, not the way you and I do…"

The man shuddered again as Azula's nails ripped into his skin. "I…I understand…"

Azula nodded before kicking the man in between the knees. He collapsed onto the ground, wheezing.

"Good. Make sure you remember that…"

ooOOOOoOOoo

Zuko moaned as he clutched his stomach. He wasn't one to get airsick. But all the twists and turns during Aang's flight were starting to get to him.

"Ugh, never should have eaten that armadillo chicken…"

Aang made what sounded like a snorting sound as he continued moving, now going a little faster.

Zuko glared at the dragon underneath him before sighing. "Yeah, I can't complain. You're the one carrying me anyway…"

Just as he was about ready to ask for a break stop, Zuko saw the outline of the palace in the distance.

"Look, Aang! We're almost there! Just a little further…"

Suddenly, Aang started going really fast causing Zuko to nearly fall into his tail for the second time.

"Hey. Don't…"

Before he could finish the sentence, Aang crashed into the roof of the palace sending Zuko sprawling towards the ground. He landed with a big thud, nearly cracking his hindquarters.

Aang tumbled off the roof and fell down in a similar manner, shooting fire in the process.

Zuko grumbled before standing up. "Man, remind me never to do that again…"

The young firelord went towards the back kitchen door and knocked on it vigorously.

A maid opened the door with caution. "Hello…oh, my lord…"

Zuko smiled. "Relax, I'm fine. And don't worry about the dragon behind me. I have it all taken care of."

The maid nearly fainted when he saw the dragon from behind. "Oh, my…uh, I guess you want me to call for Agnis then?"

Zuko nodded. "I'd greatly appreciate it if he could help me with this as soon as possible."

The maid nodded before turning to leave. Suddenly the maid stopped in his tracks, as if he was afraid to take another step.

Zuko raised an eyebrow. "Is there something else you wanted to tell me?"

The maid shifted from foot to foot with caution. "Well, um…you have a guest."

"A guest? I don't remember inviting anybody…"

The maid flinched. "Ah, well no. The water tribe girl let her in."

Zuko's eyes narrowed at 'her'. "Take me to them…"

The maid nodded before leaving the kitchen with haste. Zuko briefly turned back towards Aang speaking quickly. "Don't worry, I'm going to get Agnis to come back out here and put you back into your original body. Just give me a second to take care of this…"

Aang nodded briefly before letting his body drop to the ground, causing the ground to shake a little. Zuko shook his head while giving Aang a small smile before following the maid back into the palace.

Once he had entered the living room, Zuko was relieved to see that Sokka and Suki had made it back. Katara looked exhausted, but she appeared less stressed now that her brother was here. Zuko could also see Toph. She was animatedly chatting with Suki about how she had roughed up the guards and brought them back to shape.

But what really caught his attention was the dark haired women standing across from him, flipping two knives in the palm of her hand.

Zuko's eyes widened. His jaw was stiff and aching as he clenched his fists audibly.

It was amazing how his reactions could change so suddenly, how everything could be warped out of its original perspective…all because of the women standing in front of him.

Mai smiled, though her eyes were extremely cold. "Hello, Zuko."

Zuko smiled back as the skin around his eyes tightened. "Mai…it's been a while…"

Silence permeated the room as everyone stared at the couple. The tension was thick in the air, creating such an acrid atmosphere that even Sokka didn't feel like making a sarcastic remark.

Before anyone could get seriously worried, a hesitant voice broke the ice.

"Where's Aang?"

Everyone turned towards Katara who just shrugged outwardly. Her eyes however told another story.

Zuko sighed while still staring at Mai. "He's outside. Before you go out, I suggest you take Agnis with you or we'll have a major problem on our hands…"

Said Spirit Healer rose from his position in the far corner of the room. He wobbled a little, but nonetheless he was able to walk towards Zuko in an elegant manner. Despite his outward appearance one could tell the man was still tired from his earlier session with Katara.

"I'll go to him now. Thank you for bringing him and the dragon back safely…"

Agnis walked away while Katara followed closely behind him. Sokka lifted his hand to protest but Suki held him down.

"Let them take care of this. I'm sure she'll be able to handle herself as long as Agnis is there…"

Sokka grunted. "Yeah, but did you see him? Don't know how much longer he'll be able to stand…"

Toph shrugged. "He knows his limits. He doesn't seem like the type to overwork himself, unlike some people." She gestured towards the warrior as she said the statement.

"True, very true. He does-hey, wait! Why did you point at me while saying that?"

Mai stared apathetically at the two bickering warriors, lifting up the right side of her mouth in an unnatural arch. It was the only indication that she thought the situation was funny.

"So, it seems like you're doing fine. Even with a rebellion on the rise and a runaway dragon, huh?"

Zuko's expression went blank at the sound of Mai's voice. "What are you doing here, Mai?"

"What do you think? Checking to make sure the palace isn't gone. I heard about the attack a week back. Seems like you're going soft on us…" She continued flipping her blades back and forth, staring blankly her fingernails while doing so.

It was as if she were avoiding his face, afraid to look into his eyes. For some reason this bothered Zuko. He knew it shouldn't, but it did.

"Well, I'm glad you're conscience is appeased. I haven't lost all my hair yet. How about you tell me the real reason you're here."

Mai shrugged. "I don't know. I guess I thought it would be nice to come and check on my boyfriend. You know, make sure he survived and all and put the rumors aside."

Zuko turned his head to the side, frowning. "Rumors?"

"Yes, Zuko. Rumors. People are starting to think you're _dead_."

"So? Look, I'm going to make a public appearance this Thursday. I'll be meeting a couple of generals at the founder's meeting the day after and then we'll work on fixing the public's view of us. I have everything under control…"

Mai froze, her fingers casually spinning the daggers at a slower face. "Oh you do, do you?"

She smiled staring dully at her wrists. "You…have no idea what you're doing…"

Zuko snarled. "I don't need reassurance from you. I'm doing my duty as Fire Lord, that's all that matters."

Mai sighed loudly before walking past Zuko. "Whatever you say…"

She left the room leaving a disheveled Zuko clenching his fists.

oooOOOooOOo

Agnis sucked in a deep breath as he let his hand go away from the dragon's face, or rather, Aang's face at the moment.

He coughed loudly before speaking, covering his mouth with his hand. "This is all I can do for now…"

Katara glared at him. "What? What's wrong?"

The Healer coughed again, specks of red now appearing on his dried lips. "I…I've given Aang control over the transformation. He will be able…to change from human to dragon form at will."

"Well, that's good…"

"Yes, but the dragon still has some influence over Aang's mind. If he acts strangely remember that it may just be the dragon in his form…"

The waterbender sighed before staring at the dragon before her. "So…he's back to the way he was before?"

Agnis furrowed his brow. "Somewhat. Only Aang can trigger the transformation. No matter how easy or difficult that may be, he'll be the only one to control it."

"Okay, so can he turn back to normal now?"

Agnis nodded as he hunched over, sitting on the ground. "Yes…he can return to his original form if he wishes. Please…tell him that…I'm sorry…"

Katara placed a hand on the older man's shoulder. "You have nothing to be sorry for. You've done so much for Aang already…"

Agnis nodded. "It will…take me some time to recover from some of my recent sessions. I'll have to rest for it least a week before I do anything else…"

"Aang will understand."

Katara smiled lightly at Agnis who could only offer another nod in return.

Aang observed all of this hesitantly. He wasn't sure if he could be able to do it. It was hard to remember what it was like to be in a human body again. After being stuck in the dragon's head for so long, just walking with two legs was hard to fathom.

_But I have to change back. Most of this is my fault, therefore I need to be the one to fix this. Zuko's stressed enough as it is… _

Aang closed his eyes and imagined his human body; his soft, warm skin; his somewhat short feet; his light grey eyes…

Slowly, he started feeling the change. His scaly skin was starting to soften, the red molten colors turning into a light, shaded peach tone. His eyes became shorter and his vision less clear. He could feel his head shrinking, his nostrils growing smaller while the claws in his hands retreated in on themselves. His tail was growing smaller too as the length of his body started shortening to his original height.

The process of changing was causing him to get a headache again. Aang growled lightly, raising his now normal hands up to his hair. With a grunt, he dropped down to his knees, his back arching in an unnatural way.

He could barely hear Katara shout as he banged his head on the ground painfully before blacking out.

oooOOOOooOo

Aang opened his eyes wide, his breath hitched. "Katara!"

A hand pressed hard against his chest holding him down. Growling, Aang fought back against his capture only to realize it was Sokka.

"Dude, calm down before I whack you in the head!"

Aang gasped. "Sorry, I just…I…"

His voice froze when he saw Sokka's arm. There was an ugly gash along his upper arm, blood flowing down freely like water from a faucet.

Aang flinched when he saw his left hand. His nails had grown twice their size, a black dull color instead of white. There was also a red tinge to the color of his skin, otherwise the rest of his hand looked normal.

Sokka smiled bitterly, his face pained. "Could you please…remove your hand from my arm?"

Aang nodded, his expression solemn. "This is going to hurt…"

"…Yep…"

Sokka sucked in a deep breath as Aang unwillingly pulled his hand out in a fast motion.

Sokka gritted his teeth as he did the best he could to stop himself from screaming. He didn't want to hurt his best friend's feelings.

His voice reached a higher octave as he covered his arm timidly. "Why must it always be me?"

Aang sighed as fresh tears flowed down his face. "I'm sorry…"

Sokka turned his head to the side with a grimace. "Well…better me than Katara."

"Yeah…"

The warrior nodded again before rising into a standing position speaking in a somewhat neutral tone. "She's been really worried about you. She hasn't slept for more than two hours since you left. I had Zuko knock her out."

Aang frowned. "Seems a little unnecessary…"

Sokka glared at the young airbender. "Look, I know how she thinks. She likes to believe she's indestructible, but she's not. Everyone needs their rest and…this was the only way I could make her do it."

"Yeah…she's going to be pissed off when she wakes up…"

Sokka smirked. "Yep. We'll keep this between you and me though. I'm betting Zuko's going to get most of the blame…"

Aang gave him a small smile before getting out of his bed slowly, his feet resting hesitantly on the floor.

Sokka smirked again as light filled his eyes. "Don't tell me you've forgotten how to walk…"

"No! I just…I can still walk."

Sokka snorted as Aang took a couple of steps before crashing onto the ground.

The young airbender coughed before turning himself over onto his back. "Quit laughing!"

"Sorry. It's just…so crazy you know? As if being Avatar was weird enough…"

Aang shrugged. "Oh well, that's my life…"

Sokka smiled. "Yep, that's your life."

Aang glared before a weird noise reached his ears. He flinched as something hard shot out of his lower back causing him to sit up.

Sokka stared at the gaping young teen. "Hey, what's wrong with you? You look a little green…"

The airbender looked up, his eyes wide and frightened. "I think…something just came out of my back."

Sokka looked behind him. "Whoa, I'd say that was an understatement."

Aang took in a deep breath before taking a peak. There was a large, scaly tail waving back and forth behind him.

Groaning audibly, he cleared his mind and imagined the tail away. Trying the best to picture his back bare and clear, Aang growled as the extra body part shot back into his body.

Sokka cleared his throat loudly, trying to avoid the sick feeling rising in the pit of his stomach. "Looks like you need to work on that…"

Aang nodded. "I just have to take this one step at a time."

Sokka smiled before patting Aang playfully on the shoulder. "One thing at a time…"

The two men smiled lightly before heading towards the living room.

* * *

><p><strong>Man, took forever.<strong>

**Well, I made this one shorter. Hope you enjoyed the chapter!**

**No preview this time though I'll try to work one in for chapter 16.**

**Last Edit: July 1 2012**


	16. Signs of Trust

Signs of Trust

Aang smiled slowly, marveling at the way her skin was shining in the candle light. He took in her body, wrapped in its usual douses of blue and white silk forming her water tribe attire.

He took his eyes off her decorative clothes and brought his head back up to take in Katara's face. Her eyes were shining brightly, as if lit up from small wicks of wire. Her lips looked very soft and inviting, pulled back in a small smile that showed some of her teeth.

She was beautiful. Aang couldn't contain himself. His body was shouting at him to do something, anything rather than just standing idly gawking like an idiot.

He walked up to her, pressing his face into the crane of her neck. She smelled like the ocean, fresh. A slow moan escaped his lips as Katara wrapped her arms around his waist lovingly.

Aang smiled lightly, returning the gesture. "I love you, Katara."

A couple of seconds passed as an awkward silence invaded them. Aang furrowed his brow, puzzled that she hadn't said those crucial words back to him.

"Katara? You Okay?"

Aang's body stiffened as he felt something warm at the base of his neck. Small pockets of warmth continued to trail up his neck until he felt something soft pressing against his lips.

The airbender gasped when he realized that Katara was kissing him. He closed his eyes, kissing her back while shifting one hand up into her hair. His other hand was placed squarely on the base of her back.

Everything was going smoothly until Aang felt Katara's tongue sliding up his bottom lip.

Shocked, Aang took a few steps back. Katara smiled innocently at him, her eyes sparkled as if daring him to take on a challenge. Something about the teasing glance sparked a small fire inside his stomach as his heart started beating rapidly.

Aang took in a deep breath, a new hunger filling him to the brim as he went through a series of different emotions. All of a sudden, his senses were overwhelmed.

Viscerally, the young Avatar walked back to her and placed his hands on the sides of her face, kissing her roughly.

With one hand he tightly gripped her back, the other one was in a fist threatening her dark, long locks.

The mysterious hunger that dwelled within him was not satiated. If anything, it had increased tenfold. He just couldn't get enough of the sweet taste on her lips.

Aang sighed longingly, pulling Katara into a deeper hug, and glanced at her back. Looking at her face would just send him into another frenzy.

Slowly, rationality began to creep back into the young Avatar as he stared a little more closely at Katara's backside. There were three long gashes cutting straight through her shirt and into her skin. The wounds were bloody and fresh, the redness of it contrasting with the waterbender's dark skin as red paint would look splotched on a white canvas.

Horrified, Aang lifted his hands up only to find large claws replacing his fingers. They looked ghastly, mixed in the colors of brown and red. The young Avatar looked back at Katara to find her head bleeding profusely from another wound from when he was grabbing her hair. The trail of blood was running down her face and seeping into her clothing. Her lips looked swollen and blue, causing Aang to wonder how hard he had been kissing her.

Despite her injuries, Katara had a serene smile on her face. "You…did this to me."

Suddenly, his love started laughing. Her cackling was high pitched and broke off in random intervals.

Aang cringed. "Katara, I…" He couldn't utter anything past that. He could only hold up his hands in surrender, though his bloody claws only further portrayed him as the undeniable culprit.

Katara's smile turned into a snarl as she held an indefinable object into the air. "You did this!"

Aang closed his eyes while covering his ears. He couldn't believe this. He would never hurt her. _Never._

_Then why are your fingers bloody, idiot? Oh, wait, those are claws. Even worse._

"No! I didn't…it wasn't…No!"

"Aang, look at me!"

"No!"

He flinched as Katara pulled his face up, shoving the object into his hands. It was her heart.

_You did this to her._

_You did this to her._

_You did this to her._

_You did this-_

"Katara!" Aang continued shouting until his body movements shifted him off of his bed and onto the hard, cold floor. He lay there for a few minutes, his body rocking back and forth as he mumbled his love's name repeatedly.

Soon, after pinching himself fifty times, he realized that he was back in his room. His room that still smelled like soot, despite the number of hours Katara had spent cleaning it.

He stopped rocking once he heard the sound of something threatening to break into his room.

"Aang! Are you okay? Open up!"

Warily, Aang opened the door. He was both relieved and disappointed to see Sokka standing in his doorway.

"What the spirits is wrong with you, Aang?"

Said airbender stared blankly at the young warrior. "Um, I…had a nightmare…"

Sokka sighed loudly. "Man, you had us worried. Katara wouldn't shut up until I agreed to come up here."

Aang looked at his best friend incredulously. "I see. I'm sorry if I woke you up."

Sokka waved his hand dismissively. "It's whatever. Besides, it's getting late. Zuko wants to speak with you so you should probably see him after you've freshened up."

Aang nodded. "Okay. Thanks for letting me know."

Sokka leaned back against the door. "Hmmm, well I'm going to get some more shut eye."

The young Avatar felt the tips of his mouth twitch. "What happened to 'It's getting late'?"

"Hah, Aang. When you have a head injury like mine, sleeping becomes very important."

"…Isn't that bad?"

Sokka smiled before patting Aang playfully on the back. "You just worry about the jerkbender downstairs."

Aang sighed as the warrior walked away. He understood why Sokka was being overprotective of Katara, but it still hurt his feelings when his best friend went to such measures to keep them away from each other. Was he really that dangerous?

Raising his hands up into the light, Aang scowled. Yes, yes he was.

Aang glared at the mirror next to his desk. After starring at it for a couple of seconds, he was shocked to discover that his reflection wasn't glaring back. Instead, a golden eyed Aang was waving at him! In a panic, the young airbender ran into his restroom, lifting a large trail of dust into the stiff air.

ooOOOooOooOOOooo

"We will bring the REAL Fire Lord back to light! The imposter currently serving us has no credibility, no confidence, and no intentions of improving this country with these rules! To defy common fire nation traditions is too—"

The speech went on and on. Azula was bored and judging from the other men's waning expressions Shen was obviously losing his audience.

His daily pep talks were quickly turning into a banal cacophony of annoyance.

The LL Phoenix leader smiled. He knew what would grab everyone's attention. "I'm proud to announce that our battle will take place in four days."

Azula's eyes widened while the man next to her gasped. A range of emotions could be seen throughout the soldiers. Most looked perplexed while others looked eager for some action.

Behind Shen, Jack was frowning.

The Phoenix leader closed his eyes. He had expected this reaction. "I know. I know. Most of you are confused, and I don't blame you. Besides our attack on the palace a week before, I've degraded you all with tasks such as surveillance and what some would refer to as stalking."

"Some of you," Shen glanced briefly at Azula, "have been disobeying my orders. You think I've lost my drive, my derision under stress. However, I assure you that there is a method to my madness. Even if things seem tedious now, it will all make sense once the day of the battle arrives. Once done, the Avatar will be dead, Zuko will have been overthrown, and Fire Lord Ozai will be placed back into power as ruler of the Fire Nation and the rest of the world."

Many of the men cheered while some shook their heads in shock, still contemplating the new information.

Azula smirked. She wasn't impressed.

"Now, go back to your posts."

The men grumbled before returning to their former duties. Azula sighed before turning around to walk away. She nearly shrieked when she felt a strong hand around her waist. Azula snarled at her captor, not surprised to see that it was the Phoenix leader himself.

"I need to have a word with you. Why don't you come into my office?" It wasn't a suggestion. It was a demand.

Azula hated being ordered around. Nevertheless, she relented. "Lead the way oh wise leader."

They walked in silence, their shoes producing metallic sounds as they stepped on their base's rigging. To have their hide out be on a ship, Azula was surprised they hadn't sank yet.

When they reached the office, the former fire nation princess was shocked to find Jack sitting in a chair across from them. She raised an eyebrow before sitting next to him.

Shen was pacing back and forth, rubbing his palms together in intense circles. "I know you two have…issues with my plan. I'd like to hear your opinions on what has been done so far."

Jack furrowed his brow. "Really?"

Azula frowned before standing up. "I think you're just wasting our time. Why are we sitting here when we could be barging through the palace with the Avatar and Zuko at hand?"

Shen glared at Azula. "Being hasty won't help us, princess."

Azula smirked. "It's Fire Lord. Once my dad gets back in power, you know he'll return to his duties as Phoenix King. I'll be the new Fire Lord, so I should be addressed as such."

It was now Shen's turn to smirk. "Please, without his bending he'll probably stick with being Fire Lord. I'm sorry, but you're still only a princess. For now…"

"Well, Zuzu and those peasants have no idea what they're doing. It's almost too easy. I could sneak in and kill them all in their sleep for all I care…"

Shen smiled. "But where's the fun in that? You think I actually took my time to break you out just to have you knock everyone out in one swipe?"

Azula shrugged as the eager Phoenix leader walked up to her slowly. "Everything I've done has been planned. If we want to come out of this as the fire nation's greatest heroes, we will have to have patience."

The young princess looked at her nails pitifully. "So you want a challenge? I'm sorry, but you're not even going to break a sweat when we finally attack."

"Before we kill them, we need to find out more about the Avatar and his companions. I won't leave anything to chance."

Shen glanced back at his old friend who had remained silent throughout the entire conversation.

"What about you?"

Jack sighed. "Why are we even doing this, Shen? All of this…murder we are about to commit. We'll be the number one enemies of the entire world."

"We will be regarded as the heroes once the rightful Fire Lord is returned to power. No one gets far without taking risks."

Jack snarled. "We first joined the army…to follow in our father's footsteps, to honor our country. But this, Shen? This is madness!"

Shen gritted his teeth. "You're just a coward. Our moment, our calling is upon us, and you're ready to walk out on me? After all we've been through?"

Jack was about to retort before Azula cut him off, glaring at Shen. "Not to interrupt something personal, but we will not be able to defeat Zuko if you, our_ leader_, can't handle a few underlings. Jack will just have to be terminated."

The man in question stared at Azula with wide eyes. "What?"

Shen growled. "Azula! Control yourself!"

The fire nation princess smiled. "I haven't even moved and here you guys are bickering amongst one another like some old couple."

The meticulous firebender through her head back and began laughing while Shen fumed. Jack had his head turned the other way, a light blush of embarrassment on his cheeks.

Despite Azula's consecutive lapses earlier, Shen knew she was becoming more and more…sane. Eventually, he knew that she would go off and try to go through with his plan by herself. He had to think of a way to keep her under his thumb.

Shen raised an eyebrow as a thought popped into his head. "Oh, no worries. I'm not interested, but you will be."

Azula's laughs turned into harsh coughs while Jack stared at Shen with an expression that suggested 'bloody murder'.

"The Hell?"

"You can't make me work with this peasant!"

Shen smiled. "Actually, Azula, I can. I am the _leader_ of this operation after all. We are doing all of this to bring your father back to the throne. Don't lose sight of the goal."

_He must love hearing himself talk_, Azula thought as she hissed.

Jack glared at his friend. "And how is this part of the goal?"

"Oh, you know. It's just more surveillance and acts of stalking. Except this time I'm thinking we should take things to the battle front itself. What better way to get info than to become 'acquaintances' with the enemy? You both will pose as a couple and infiltrate the palace. Jack will do most of the talking and you, princess, will be his bodyguard."

Azula nearly spat out fire as she ranted. "You mean to tell me we're going to get into the palace and not kill them? Are you crazy? They won't let commoners in!"

Jack was just shaking his head, his skin a shade of unhealthy white. "I can't believe you…"

Shen looked at the two complainers as a father looks at his children. "I don't care how you do it. Just get me whatever info you can about our targets. The more we know, the easier it will be for me to organize our battle priorities."

"We could just kill them now!"

"I think I'm going to be sick…"

Azula gave Jack the most hateful look of all after his comment, causing him to sweat profusely.

"Oh, quit whining? What are we, six? Now go and convince those naïve fools. We will not underestimate them!"

Shen pinched the bridge of his nose as they continued to protest. _Remember, all good things come to those who wait…_

oooOOOOOoOOOOOooOOoOOO

Zuko was tapping his foot rapidly on the ground. If Sokka hadn't gone to check on Aang earlier the firebender would have barged into the young Avatar's room.

_Why is he always late for things like this? I even gave him more breaks when we're doing our training sessions…not that he needs them._

Zuko sighed. He would have been lying to himself if he didn't admit he was stressed out. He felt bad that he was taking it out on his friends, but he couldn't help himself. The return of his girlfrien-ex wasn't making things any easier.

He knew it was childish to avoid her like this, but with all the things on top of his plate that was one of his least concerns.

Zuko was about to stomp up the stairs when the young airbender walked right into him, mumbling something about 'mystical mirrors'.

"Well, I hoped you had a good night's sleep. Sokka told you about the meeting, right?"

Aang grumbled inaudibly before nodding. "Yeah…"

The two were about to start walking towards the conference room when Aang suddenly held his arm out, stopping Zuko.

"Uh, excuse me?"

"Zuko…can you…do you trust me?"

The master firebender gawked at the monk before him. "Of course, you know that…"

"Then why was Sokka the one telling me about our meeting. Why didn't you just come up yourself?"

Zuko groaned before rubbing the back of his head. "Well…I…you see, I-"

Aang sighed before walking away. "It's okay. I understand…"

"No, Aang. It's just…I…darn!"

The next words that sprouted from the young fire lord's mouth were said so fast that Aang only caught two of them; 'Water' and an insolent word that began with a 'B'.

In a flash Aang had his hands around Zuko's throat, his eyes darkened considerably. "What did you just say?"

"I…I said beautiful water demon."

Aang dropped his friend, his face unreadable. "Yeah, that's what I thought."

Zuko sighed before a series of fast steps alerted him to a third presence. "Oh, man! Come on, Aang we have to move!"

"What, why-"

"Just move!"

He was shoving the young airbender, but it wasn't enough before a fuming waterbender had caught up to the stumbling duo.

"Zuko!"

"Speak of the devil…" The guilty firebender let go of his friend who was currently opening and closing his mouth like a fish.

"I can't believe you! You promised me that you wouldn't take Aang to any more of those…those meetings! You know he needs his rest! How could you-"

"Since he is the 'Avatar' I find it necessary to let him know what's happening in our city. Dragon or not, he still has responsibilities. I'm not going to be blamed any more for his lack of knowledge."

"Why you dirty little-"

Zuko held his hand out as Katara pressed against it, her arms moving in rapid windmill motions. Aang glanced at them as if they were animals in a zoo. He backed away slowly, hoping he could get away before they turned rabid.

"Hey, where do you think you're going?"

"Aang! You should be back in your room!"

The young Avatar let out a small squeak as he felt himself being tugged in opposite directions. "Guys! I'm not a puppet! If I break, that's it for me!"

Aang groaned as he was dropped unceremoniously on the hard floor while the two masters glared at each other.

After a couple of minutes, they were calm enough to simply avert their gazes.

"Sorry, Aang. I just…I've been doing my best to nurse you back to health, but these buffoons aren't letting me do my job."

"I just don't want to keep any secrets from you. Look I'm, like, up to my wall in reports. It's just easier when you're there, you know?"

Aang gave them both a small smile, though inching away from Katara. "Yeah, I understand. Look Zuko, you don't have to tell me everything. If it's easier for you to keep a few secrets I won't mind. Besides, I need to get my body back so that I can perform my own Avatar duties in peace. I won't be much help if I change forms in the conference room…"

Zuko chuckled softly. "I guess not."

Katara smiled innocently at Aang. It was so strikingly similar to his dream that the young airbender felt his heart skip a beat. "I actually came to tell you that Agnis wants to speak with you. He said it was urgent."

Aang nodded slowly. "Alright."

Zuko sighed. "I guess I'll have to face the wrath of Shino alone…"

Aang smirked. "I'm surprised he came back after, well, almost getting attacked and all."

"Yep, he's very…persistent."

Katara smiled before grabbing Aang's wrist. "You'll survive."

Forcing her way out of the hall, Katara practically dragged Aang away from Zuko and back into the living room.

"Katara, what are you-"

"Shhhh, come on! We can't let anyone catch us!"

"Wait, what?"

She practically shoved her palm into his mouth, causing him to shut up. _Wow, she really does smell like the ocean…_

Katara kept dragging him in random directions until they reached a small closet. She shoved him in there roughly before stepping in and closing the door behind him. The closet was quite dark and bare. It was hard for Aang to see anything within a two foot radius.

"Katara, why are you-"

He was cut off as he felt her lips pressed firmly on his mouth. His cheeks were now as hot as the sun and his heart was starting to run a marathon.

She smiled in the dark, her voice nearly making him jump. "So, how are you feeling?"

Aang's eyes were now as wide as saucers. "You locked me in a closet to doctor me?"

Katara laughed. "I'm sorry. Sokka is being such a spoiled brat about all this. The only time he lets me visit you is when you're asleep. Ah, he always underestimates me…"

"Wait, so Agnis didn't want to see me?"

Katara furrowed her brow. "Um, well, you see…I was trying to come up with an excuse to get you away from Zuko and it sort of…popped into my mind I guess. Are you mad?"

Aang rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Well, um…the meeting could have been important…and uh, well…"

The waterbender giggled. "Don't worry about him. I'm not trying to be the clingy girlfriend, really. After our chat you're going straight to your room so I can heal your new injuries."

"New injuries?"

"Yeah, you've been sleepwalking a lot. Yesterday was weird. Somehow you must have transformed partly during the middle of the night because your hands were bloody and you had a long claw wound in your back. Do you remember any of it?"

Aang started stuttering. "Uh…no…"

Katara sighed. "Don't worry. No matter what happens, I'll be here. We'll get through this…"

"Yeah…"

Silence invaded them for a couple of seconds before Katara spoke again, her voice a whisper.

"So, you don't want to talk about anything?"

"Nah, I'm fine."

"Right." Katara smiled as she said this, her hand rising up to touch Aang's left cheek.

"Katara…" He wanted to tell her that this was dangerous. That she should listen to her brother and just leave him. That she would only be hurting herself more being here, this close to his dangerous body.

But as he stared at his betrothal necklace placed snugly around her neck, he couldn't utter another word. As she leaned closer toward him, her breath hitting him in small wisps, he could do nothing but watch as her face got closer and closer.

He sucked in a long breath, his hands clenched at his sides. He flinched as he felt his nails digging into his palms. They were definitely sharper than usual.

_I have to get out of here before I hurt her…_

Aang narrowed his eyes in determination, ready to make a run for it. But his stupid body wasn't listening to him anymore.

Katara gasped as Aang pushed her to the ground, his hands grasping her shoulders tightly. She could see his eyes staring widely at her, a mixture of gold and silver in the darkness.

Her shoulders shifted inward as his nails entered her skin. "Aang, you're hurting me…"

Aang looked at her sympathetically, though his voice sounded apathetic. "I know."

Katara's eyes widened, missing the desperate glance that was shot at her. "Aang…please, stop."

The nails went in deeper as a response and the waterbender could have sworn she felt something leaking out of her shoulder blades.

Wincing, Katara gritted her teeth to avoid screaming out. She knew Aang wasn't fully in control, though she couldn't fathom why the dragon was mad at her.

"Aang, it's okay. Come on you can fight your way back through. You don't need to…grip me so tightly. I won't leave you…"

She felt his lips hovering next to her ear. His voice was soft and monotone. "I'm not sure if I can. You should run…"

Katara grimaced, knowing that option wasn't possible. "I can't move."

Aang chuckled, his voice taking on a dark tone. "I know. He should have listened to me. The trials haven't even started and he's already proving himself to be unworthy."

"Tri-Trials?" Katara let out a small squeak as the nails continued to moving in her skin. It felt as if they were expanding.

She wouldn't do it. She would not cry in front of him.

"You're pretty strong, Katara. I can see why he likes you."

The waterbender glared into Aang's now completely golden eyes. "Who are you?"

"…The firebender called me Eona, but your brother called me The Red Inferno...or something like that. What do you want to call me?"

Katara smiled grimly. "The word jerk comes to mind…"

She regretted saying that after she felt thick claws raking down her back.

"Don't worry; I'm not going to kill you. You're too special for that. Besides, I won't be able to make his first test without you."

Katara was about to retort, saying she wouldn't even dream of helping the spirit with anything until the door behind her blasted open. Agnis stood in the doorway, smiling. It was if he expected the scenario in front of him.

"Katara, didn't you get my message? I told you I needed to speak with Aang."

Said waterbender gasped in shock while Eona smirked. "A little too late for that don't you think?"

Agnis laughed. "My dear, you know the trials start tomorrow? I didn't think you were one to break traditions."

Eona shrugged before getting up, pulling her claws rather forcefully out of Katara's back. "I'd thought I'd send him a fair warning. After all, he really cares about her. I'm being nice…"

Katara glared at her possessed boyfriend. "Yeah, you've been so very helpful. You're the reason he's been having nightmares aren't you?"

Eona started rubbing the blood off her claws, which were slowly transforming back into Aang's fingers. "It's not my fault if his subconscious gives me nothing to work with. Last night was a success though. The whole empty heart thing was all his idea."

Katara stared blankly at Eona, rubbing her bloody shoulders. "I'm going to go wash up. You better not hurt him."

Eona waved her hands. "Please, if anything you should be the one worrying. Why don't you go back and apologize to your goofy brother."

Hearing all of these insults from Aang's mouth and in Aang's voice was driving Katara crazy. Nonetheless, she was able to walk out of there without _purposefully_ stomping on the young Avatar's leg.

Eona growled while Agnis chuckled. "I guess I know what trial comes first. It's a common one for young men of his age…"

"Yeah, I'm going easy on him with the first one. Seriously, humans are so predictable."

Agnis stared at his companion. "Wow, you've only been in him for a few days and already you've began to understand the language. How extraordinary. This is definitely one for the books."

Eona shrugged. "So why did you want to speak with him anyway? I thought we were going to present him with the tests together."

"A little warning never hurts either."

"That's what I was doing."

The Spirit Healer decided not to comment on that, only smiling. "We're working with a thirteen-year-old boy here. We don't need to kill him on the first day."

"Alright, I won't give him any nightmares tonight. Happy?"

Agnis nodded. "I'm very grateful."

Eona laughed before cracking her knuckles. "I just love temptation…"

Yeah, I'm seriously on fire this weekend! I've updated a lot of stuff.

I can't wait till summer officially starts. Then it will really be a party!

Thank you so much you guys for reading this far! I've gotten over 3,400 hits for this story! That's amazing! Not to mention 48 reviews!

You guys are the best! And don't worry, the end is near. I'm anticipating this to end by chapter 21 or so! I can't believe I'm almost done with my first multi-chapter story on fanfiction! Hurray!

Chapter 17 preview

"I really, really hope this isn't for me." Azula pointed at the ghastly wig in front of her.

Jack sighed. "You're going to have to wear it. With your hair all…messy like that everyone will know who you are from a mile away. There are so many posters out there for you, it's like they're taking over all the billboards."

Azula grumbled before putting the ugly thing on her head. "I hate blonds."

Jack ignored her comment as he placed a different wig on his head. "So how are we going to get into the palace?"

"Hmmm, well they're all a bunch of pathetic, goody too-shoes. I'm sure if one of us is injured they'll let us in. You know Katara is one of the best healers around."

Jack gulped. "I see. So, we're going to fake an injury, then what?"

Azula smiled as electricity swarmed around her. "Oh, we're not going to fake it. The only thing that will convince them is the real thing in its entirety."

Jack's eyes widened as Azula slowly walked towards him.

{}

Aang glared at Agnis. "Wait, so if I fail any of the trials-"

"You won't fail. You must succeed in order to get your body back. This is a tradition that every Avatar has faced, but you're case is very unique. Any path that detracts from the main course of this procedure would produce dire consequences…"

**Last Edit: July 1 2012**


	17. The Origin of Yin and Yang

**Hello everyone!**

**This one took a couple more days than expected, but the main reason why I took my time with this was because I spent the days before editing like crazy!**

**I reread this whole story and edited a bunch of stuff. It was a great learning experience, but now I'm really tired.**

**Ah, well I hope you guys like this! Thank you for reading up to this point…**

The Origin of Yin and Yang

Aang sighed peacefully. His body stretched into a small V-shape before curling inward, forming into a small ball.

He didn't want to get up. It had been the longest he'd ever slept since absorbing the dragon into his body. It was a wonderful sense of bliss that the Avatar preferred to spend more than four hours in.

_Unfortanutely, all good things must come to an end at some point… _He frowned as the thought sunk into his head.

With a good amount of willpower the young monk raised himself into a sitting position. The ground beneath him was unstable and shimmering in the sun. Aang glared as he ran his hands through miniscule grains of sand. He turned his head and took in all the numerous sand dunes surrounding him, placing him in the middle of a hot ocean of orange.

"I should have known this was too good to be true…" He mumbled before warily shifting into a standing position.

His feet started moving viscerally, carrying the young Avatar into the heart of the desert and towards a familiar looking temple. _Yep, it's spirit world time. Really should have seen it coming…_

In a matter of seconds the temple was suddenly in front of him, its large doors beckoning to him much like the first time he had been there.

Aang smiled before entering the building. The doors slammed behind him precariously, but luckily the airbender wasn't as close to them as he had been the first time so his body escaped the force unscathed.

As expected, Agnis was standing in the middle of the temple's grand assembles looking as translucent as he always did in these mental ventures. He chuckled. "It seems like she kept her word. You look well rested."

"Yeah. It was nice to sleep in for once, though I'm not really sure how much time has actually passed since I was awake…" He shrugged, "…it doesn't matter. What do you want to show me?"

"I see someone's eager to start. Well, let's see now…" Agnis walked over to one of the numerous mosaics that made up the lavish walls of the building. "Let's start with some observation practice. Do you recognize all of the creatures here?"

"Of course. There are lion turtles, sky bison, badger moles, koi fish," he sighed exasperatingly, "…dragons."

Agnis nodded. "Yes. All the originators of the four elements gathered together in the dragon's sacred temple, it's quite poetic isn't it?"

"Yeah. Just…peachy."

Agnis chuckled. "Is that sarcasm I sense in you, Avatar? Does this not impress you?"

Aang shook his head rapidly. "It's not that…I'm just waiting for the hard part to begin. There's obviously a reason why you're bringing me to this place again…"

"I see you're ready to start the process. But before we begin the trials you must understand why we're giving them to you in the first place." Agnis said this with a smile before motioning for the young airbender to sit down.

_Trials?_ Aang sighed before reluctantly taking his place beside the spirit healer, his knees buckling outward as he sank towards the ground. The floor was hard and cold, as if it were made of some type of metal. The young avatar placed his hands behind his back.

"Okay, so what type of trials will I be facing?"

"Now, now," the spirit healer waved his hand playfully, "let's not get ahead of ourselves. First, I need to ask you a few questions."

"Uh, okay…"

"Do you remember this place, Aang?"

The airbender frowned as he glanced over the temple again. He could tell that there was something oddly different about the place since his last visit. It was a lot clearer and the stones that made up the building had a certain luster that wasn't present before. Things did look a little more familiar but Aang was sure that this was only his second time inhabiting the sacred place.

"I'm sorry, but I don't recall being here more than once. It does look a little familiar, but…I don't remember anything beyond that." He frowned as his mind continued to draw in blanks.

Agnis sighed. "I see. I guess the curse grows stronger with each reincarnation."

Aang raised his eyebrows. "Curse?"

"…Avatar, do you understand the concept of yin and yang?"

Aang nodded. "Yes. They represent a balance to all things in life. Good and evil, negatives and positives…one side never overrides the other, right?"

Agnis smiled. "Correct. Now, what do you think happens when that balance is threatened?"

"Um, well," Aang furrowed his brow, "…I guess something must be done to bring it back. After all, there must always be a balance."

Aang continued to contemplate the idea before turning over to look at Agnis. He was shocked to see the older man crying. The tears were glowing against his translucent skin, silver lines racing down his face at moderate intervals.

"Are you okay?"

The spirit healer gave him a small smile. "I'm fine. It just pains me greatly…that we had to endure this entity for so long. But…it is our burden to bear. Please, give me a moment…"

Aang turned away awkwardly as Agnis carefully wiped his own face. After a couple of minutes the spirit healer was composed enough to continue.

"You see, Aang, a long time ago…back before the time of the Avatar there were two boys named yin and yang…"

The young avatar gasped. "Wait, you mean there were two people named after the concept?"

"Yes and no. The concept was created because of the life of those two boys. It is time for me to share with you the true story of this place…and the origins of the four elements..."

Aang's eyes widened as Agnis placed his hands on the airbender's forehead.

ooOOOoooOOOOOOooooo

Azula stared at her new home with contempt. "Honestly, this place is fit for a hobo. I swear if I have to stay here a minute longer…"

"Look, it's not like I'm holding you here against your will," Jack said with patience as he went through his closet rapidly searching for something, as Azula would say, 'peasant like'.

"If I didn't have to deal with Zuko, I wouldn't be caught dead in this place." Her voice was sharp, an edge of malice seeking into the undercurrents of her statement.

_If you were truly yourself, Azula, you wouldn't have even accepted the mission in the first place_, Jack thought as he pulled out various, plain-looking attire. But he decided to keep himself silent as the princess continued to rant.

After skimming over their disguises Azula couldn't help the choking sound that arose out of the pit of her throat. "I really, really hope this isn't for me." She pointed at the ghastly wig in front of her.

Jack sighed. "You're going to have to wear it. With your hair all…messy like that everyone will know who you are from a mile away. There are so many posters out there for you, it's like they're taking over all the billboards."

Azula grumbled before putting the ugly thing on her head. "I hate blonds."

Jack ignored her comment as he placed a different wig on his head. "So, how are we going to get into the palace?"

"Hmmm, well they're all a bunch of pathetic, goody too-shoes. I'm sure if one of us is injured they'll let us in. You know, Katara is one of the best healers around."

Jack gulped. "I see. So, we're going to fake an injury, then what?"

Azula smiled as electricity swarmed around her. "Oh, we're not going to fake it. The only thing that will convince them is the real thing in its entirety."

Jack's eyes widened as Azula slowly walked towards him…

ooOOOOoOOOOoooo

_Huh, it seems like these meetings get harder and harder to tolerate the more I keep Aang out of them..._

The young fire lord contemplated over this for a couple of minutes before moving out of the meeting room. It was a welcome gift to finally be in a somewhat relaxed atmosphere. It was as if stepping into the former room would get his feet burned. _Might as well for all the tension Shino is producing. If we don't act soon he's going to send in reinforcements…_

Zuko was walking down the hallway when he nearly tripped over a woman lying on the ground. He frowned as he recognized the dark locks sweeping across the pale person's face. "Didn't expect to find you here…"

A small smile showed up though the person failed to reply. Zuko glared at the unmoving heap for a moment. When it was apparent that he wasn't going to receive an answer, he sighed longingly. "Mai…I need you to leave."

The smile grew a little wider, some teeth making their appearance. "I…can't do that. You…need me."

His voice was dark and cryptic when he replied. "No, I don't."

She slowly sat up so that her body was leaning against his door. "Don't…eat…"

"What?" Zuko's eyes narrowed as he sunk down into a kneeling position, taking in her form. "What are you saying?"

Mai smiled, though this time it looked pained. "Don't…eat…the food…"

As she said this her body shook, twitching as if she were going through a seizure. Mai's eyes widened, the pupils diluted. Her breathing became labored.

"Don't…e-e-e-at…" Her voice started breaking off in random intervals as her body shuddered.

Zuko stared at her for a few more seconds before he started shouting. "Mai? Mai! Someone help!" He shook her, his body tensing as he felt her temperature decrease. It was as if she were slowly turning into ice. Only now could he make out how much color she had lost already, her skin as white as paper.

He growled before lifting her into his arms, bridal style. "Someone help! Please!"

He was moving viscerally now, carrying her through the hallways as fast as his tense legs could. He reached the medical center in seconds, surprised to see that it was already occupied.

Katara gasped as she took in her friend's expression. "Zuko, are you alright?"

"I'm fine. But she, she's…" he could barely speak as he felt Mai's pulse. It was far too low for his liking.

Katara quickly stood up, covering her shoulders with a purple blanket nearby. "What happened to her?"

Zuko sighed. "I…don't know. Just heal her, please. I need to speak to Aang…"

He could feel the waterbender's gaze harden at his mentioning of the airbender. "I'm not sure if he's here right now. The dragon was using his body again the last time I saw him…"

"Ugh, I don't have time for this! Do you know where he is?"

Katara frowned as she spread her hands across the base of Mai's throat, the water glowing in wavy blues and silver whites. "I'm not sure. I think Agnis is with him at the moment…"

"Well that's just great." Zuko stared at his ex with a look of concern before turning away. "I'll be in my room if you need me. Be sure to tell Aang that we need to talk if you see him. It's urgent."

Katara gave him a nod, her hands moving at fast speeds as Mai's body suddenly shook with new convulsions. "I'll let him know."

Zuko closed his eyes before blasting his way out of the room and back into the hallway. His footsteps were now fraught with panic as he hurriedly walked back to his bedroom, opening the doors with a flourish. It was as if the motion was meant to calm him, both in mind and spirit as he slowly stepped into a new atmosphere.

He allowed his body to relax as his muscles reveled in the silence. The whole assemble was shot down the moment he opened his eyes.

There was so much food crammed into his room that he felt his nose would burst from all the smells. There were so many pastries, turtle-ducks, spices, fire crackers, fish, imported pork…

It was a feast fit for a king.

Zuko glared at the food as Mai's words came back to haunt his eardrums. _Don't…eat…_

He glanced at all of the various assortments of edible treats before his eyes landed on a small custard pie, his personal favorite. Zuko smiled grimly before taking the pie slowly in his hands, the treat beckoning to him with a gentle pull towards his stomach.

"Well, well…I guess someone's eager to start the final battle. It's too bad, that person miscalculated…" He squished the treat in his hand, causing it to explode all over his fingertips. "It takes a little more than that for me to fall into temptation…"

ooOOOOOooOOOoooo

Aang could feel himself falling. It was rapid and sudden, causing his stomach to groan as his heart raced into his mouth.

He clenched his fists into his chest, his body curving as he continued his descent. His body arched back before landing on the ground with a large thud. The young teen groaned loudly as Agnis floated beside him.

"How come you get to fly while my," He hissed as a sharp pain emitted from below, "butt takes a beating?"

The spirit healer couldn't help chuckling at the young teen's choice of words. "I'm sorry, though, truth be told, I'm not really here right now…"

"Of course you're not…"

Agnis smiled at his companion, his eyes sparkling. "No, really, I'm not here. Not in the physical world or the realms in your mind."

Aang shivered as he gave the older man a second glance. "Uh…excuse me?"

"Don't worry. All will be explained now…"

Aang stared at the man quizzically before turning to take in his surroundings. "So, where are we?"

"Just watch, Avatar. You're about to see two of the most defining spirits in our sacred history…"

As the sentence escaped Agnis' mouth Aang noticed two boys walking towards them. One was extremely pale with hair as dark as night and dark circles under silver eyes. The other boy appeared to have a more wild side. He had striking yellow locks that blazed like the sun while his orange eyes contrasted greatly with his companion's.

Despite their obvious differences, the boys held hands. They were grasping each other so tightly that their knuckles appeared to be white.

Both of them glanced at Aang speaking together in unison. "Welcome, Avatar."

The young airbender mumbled something before clearing his throat. His senses were on overload. Whoever these two spirits were, they were extremely powerful. He didn't need to sense their auras to come up with that.

_They kind of feel…like Agnis. How strange… _"Hi…"

The dark haired boy stepped next to Aang. "My name is Yin, and this is my brother-"

The other boy cut him off while rapidly appearing at Aang's other side. "My name is Yang!"

"Ah, it's nice to meet you both. So, um…you two are the creators of bending?" Aang cringed at the sound of his voice. _Why am I so nervous, they're just a couple of kids, right? Why is my body responding this way?_

Yin smiled at him. Aang couldn't fathom why but the air suddenly had an ominous quality to it. "We're not just _a couple of kids_, Avatar…"

Yang's smile suddenly shifted into a frown. "Your body is just not used to our presence. After all, we're the most powerful energy benders."

Aang grimaced as he received both comments at the same time. "Ugh, what I meant is…I…I mean…but…you guys look like you're six…"

Yang laughed while Yin snickered.

"Should we show him?"

"Yes, let's do it!"

Aang gasped as both boys placed their hands over his forehead. Immediately, his tattoos started glowing.

"Wow, his energy is so…ripe."

"Wow, it just makes me want to run around! I could just live forever on this stuff!"

"Stop being so dramatic! Hmmm, there's something else here…"

"Huh? Oh, you're right. Whoa, it's big!"

"This obviously doesn't belong in his body. It's like they…merged somehow. Humph, how convoluted…"

"Ah, somebody's been messing with the spirits."

Their voices assaulted him, changing from dark to light in a heartbeat. As they talked, Aang could feel bubbles of energy going through him, unwinding him. It was as if their energy was shooting through his body, infecting it with emotions of such contrasting intensity that the young airbender felt like he was going to black out.

"Wait, stop! You're hurting him!"

"Oh, would you just shut up! You're not helping things with that ball of energy either."

"Sorry…"

Aang gasped as the two boys lifted their hands from his head. His whole body was sweating profusely, his breaths coming in short taut waves. The two boys appeared to be fine, as if they had just gotten up from their naps.

Yin growled. "Now you did it."

Yang tilted his head back up with confidence. "I just tasted his energy. He'll be fine."

The young airbender sighed as his body slowly went into a calm state, his tattoos returning back to their light blue shade. "What…what did you do to me?"

Yang smiled before patting the young teen on the head playfully. "We just wanted to meet you."

Yin nodded. "When you look into someone's energy it helps you figure out what type of person they are. There's no hiding, their true nature is exposed."

"Wow," Aang said. He flinched when he realized how close Yang was. The boy's face was nearly pressed against his forehead.

The sunny child smirked. "But, you already knew that, didn't you? You've used energybending before."

Aang's eyes widened. "Yes…"

Yin raised his eyebrows. "Energybending has been gone from your time for a thousand years. How did you attain the ability to use it?"

Aang smiled proudly. "A lion turtle taught me."

Agnis was watching the whole scene with compassion. He couldn't wait for the two spirits to tell Aang the story of their existence. Their _shared_ existence…

_All will be revealed, Avatar. Then, you will remember…_

oooOOOOOOoooOOOooo

Jack's face contorted painfully as he took another step. His side was marred by a bloody wound. His right leg was burned to the point where it was almost black. _Oh, Shen, if only you could see me now. Huh, to think that we're best friends…_

The pain of walking cut into his thoughts. Azula shoved him back up onto her shoulder, her expression showing nothing but hatred and disgust. "Look at you, weakling. Quit doing that! You're slowing us down!"

Jack glared at his supposed 'loving wife'. "I can barely move. My right foot is useless. You'll just have to toughen up and carry me…'sweetie'." He knew he made the wrong decision to add the pet name when a searing pain shot up his leg.

"Shut up, peasant! Don't tempt me."

_Don't have to. Lunatic…_ Jack took in a shaky breath before attempting another step. _Argh, when will this end?_

"You know, for a brute you're not half bad." Her face was shifted awkwardly into a joyful countenance, laughter bubbling loudly at the surface.

Jack groaned. _Great, now she's done a one-eighty. Her voice is so fake…_ "How long until we reach the palace, dear?"

Azula seemed to be out of it because she ignored the new nickname. "Ah, soon. Very, very soon…"

_Not soon enough._ "Do you really know the way there? You didn't forget, did you?"

Azula froze causing Jack to stumble forward and crash into the hard ground. With a grunt, he turned to the side only to find himself staring at a mirror across from them. They appeared to be a loving couple, both their blond hair flying in the wind. She really did seem to be carrying him, as if she would go through the ends of the Earth just to get him somewhere safe. The image was so far from the truth.

Jack could feel bile rising into his throat as he wheezed. _I'm going to die. _"Honey, we should go."

If the girl heard him, she didn't show it. Instead she looked at the mirror with horror, her eyes bulging out of their sockets. "Mommy?"

_Uh oh._ Jack tried to shake Azula. "It's not real. Whatever you're seeing…it's not real!"

Azula glared at the mirror. "What do you mean? I wasn't going to kill him," hysterical chuckle, "Zuzu just has to be taught a lesson. You're just jealous because you can't give him one now that you're gone!"

"There's no one there! Please listen to me!" He couldn't say her name, not in public.

Her episode wasn't helping matters. People were beginning to stare, trying to figure out why the young 'blond' was throwing a fit at the mirror. _I have to get to her somehow, but how?_

A thought seeped into his head. It was so vile and sudden that it nearly made Jack hurl on the spot. He blamed it on the blood loss. "Sweetie…"

Azula snarled upon hearing Jack's voice. "I. Hate. That. Name…"

_She's coming back. Now for the hard part…_ "I love you."

Azula's eyes narrowed in shock, her mouth twisted into a snarl. "Why you filthy-"

Before she could finish the sentence Jack pulled her face close to his and kissed her. She shook violently as he continued to pull her in, his hands gently rubbing her sides. After a few minutes of intimate contact he stopped and breathed into her ear. "Do you feel better now?"

Azula's eyes were wide open, her mouth opened up in a large 'O'. She closed it rapidly as her eyes sparkled dangerously. "You…you…"

Jack smiled though his voice was shaking with fear. "That's right. I'm deranged from all the blood loss. I couldn't just stand by and let your beauty pass me by while I die. I had to let you know how I feel…"

A hot pain suddenly entered his gut. He coughed loudly as a couple specks of blood flew from his mouth. He tried to repress a shudder when she spoke. "Well, I guess we better get you healed than. Wouldn't want a few scratches to prevent you from…expressing yourself."

She then picked him up and continued to carry, or rather drag him, towards the imperial palace.

ooOOOOooOOOOooo

"So, why did you two come here? Is there something that you have to show me?" Aang couldn't help smiling at the two powerful beings before him. Once he got used to their presence they didn't seem as overwhelming as they were when he first saw them.

Yang smiled. "Actually, it's more like something we need to tell you. Do you like story time?"

Aang laughed. "I love stories!"

Yin glared at his brother. "This isn't happy time! This _story_ has founded the very principles of the world he lives in. This is no joking matter!"

"Aw, lighten up. I'm just being kind. No need to push the harsh moments in his face."

Yin turned away and crossed his arms. "As if I can, lighten up…of all the convoluted things…"

Yang waved his hands as if to brush his brother's comment away. "Ignore him. So, are you ready to hear the story?"

Aang nodded. "I'm ready."

Yin sighed before turning back and walking over to stand next to Yang. "It all starts with the birth of two boys-"

"That would be us!" Yang cringed as his brother stared at him menacingly. "Sorry…"

Yin shook his head. "As I was saying, back then we were known as Shii and Jing. During that time everyone could energybend, but we were prodigies. Are skills were such that we could feel the emotions and energy inside all living things."

Yang smiled. "The easiest things for us to energybend were animals."

Aang shook his head. "Wait, energybend animals?"

Yin sighed as he tried to come up with a way to explain it properly. "It's like you're immersing yourself in a new being, a new form of life. The reason why bending is based on animal moves is because the spirits of different animals was used to perfect the art."

Yang nodded. "Before, when bending didn't exist, animals taught people how to fight. The most prominent and most sought out teachers were the tiger, the praying mantis, the swan, the monkey, and the…" Yang playfully furrowed his brow, "…what was the other one again?"

Yin rolled his eyes. "The dragon."

"Yep, that's the one! At the time the hardest animal to energybend was the dragon. They don't like exposing their secrets."

Aang narrowed his eyes as he remembered the obstacles he faced along with Zuko when they tried to learn the true meaning of firebending. "I think I know what you mean…"

Yin's eyes glazed over as he imagined the strong beasts. "Yes, the dragon was the most difficult to attain, and it didn't take its knowledge lightly. It wanted us to use its gift with respect and guidance."

Yang frowned. "Unfortunately, our dad didn't respect the spirits, especially the ones inhabiting animals. He forced us to use our new abilities to kill off the dragons for sporting events."

Yin growled. "Our father was envious of our skills. He wanted us to exploit them for his own dark purposes…"

Aang's head lowered as he took in the new information. "I see, so you two broke the balance…"

"Yeah, we were the first ones," Yang said, his voice no longer cheerful.

"As punishment for our crimes, the spirits cursed us. Since we still had knowledge from the animals, we had to accept new responsibilities. A new realm opened up for us and Yang became the first Avatar." Yin's eyes were closed, his tone calm and full of the shame that comes with carrying an unhealthy burden.

Aang stared at Yang in awe. "You're the first Avatar?"

"That's right. My brother became the first guardian of the spirit world and created its inner swamps and mazes. These landscapes formed a barrier to prevent humans from entering. He was never able to be seen by the human world. Only I could see him and he gave me advice on how to bend without the guidance of the animals…"

The airbender grasped his hair tightly as he felt a weird sensation pressing against the back of his head. "Wait, so that means…"

Yin smiled sadly. "You are the reincarnation of Yang, Avatar. Agnis," he turned to look at the spirit healer, "…is the reincarnation of Yin."

Aang's eyes went to impossible lengths as he glanced at the older man behind him. "WHAT?"

Yin grimaced at the young teen's tone while Yang laughed.

Agnis smiled. "Yes, I am, if we think in philosophical terms, your basic spiritual half."

Aang blanched. "I…my head is spinning."

Yang gave the confused airbender a big hug. "It's understandable. After all, my spiritual reincarnations always forget the experience. Only the past lives of Yin get the full story."

Yin glared darkly at his brother. "Thank goodness for that."

"Eh? What's that supposed to mean?"

"You know e_xactly_ what it means…"

Agnis chuckled. "I see we haven't changed much over the past thousands of years."

Aang stared at the two arguing spirits incredulously. "We don't argue like that."

"We're only reincarnated on the basics of spiritual terms. You could call us all independent if you looked at each of our personalities. But when energybending rises in the side of Yang again, then that signifies that it is time for the trials…"

At the word 'trials' Aang suddenly felt his body being sucked up into the air. Before he could completely disappear from the landscape, two voices chased him.

"I believe in you, other me! Show that dragon whose boss!"

"What? That's horrible advice! Respect the dragon, Aang! It's a very powerful spirit and it doesn't take well to insolent humans!"

"Darn, sorry! But you get the picture. Pass the trials!"

"You'd better pass!"

Before Aang could respond, his body crashed back into the dragon's temple floor painfully. With a large grumble he turned his body around, not surprised to see Agnis standing beside him unarmed.

"Why must I always get hurt when I come to this place?"

Agnis chuckled. "Oh, Aang, the simple things that amuse you…"

"Hah, yeah," he cleared his throat, "So…I have to pass these trials?"

The spirit healer nodded. "You have to take three. Every Avatar who energybends must go through them."

Aang frowned. "I'm not the first one?"

"You are the first one to take someone's _bending_ away, but you are not the only Avatar who has experienced energybending. There are many ways to encounter that art, Aang. There have been countless Avatars before you," He turned towards the airbender with a sly grin, "What made you think that you were the first to happen across it by chance?"

Aang lowered his head as blood fled into his cheeks. "I don't know."

"Ha ha, don't be ashamed. After all, you are quite young…"

"Yeah…" he took in a deep breath, "So…what's the first trial about?"

Aang froze as he felt something hot hitting his neck. He turned around and nearly jumped when he saw the red dragon staring straight into his eyes. It held one of its claws up into the air and drew a red line into thin space. The line formed into one single box filled with kanji and other assorted symbols, but the meaning was as clear as day.

The airbender grimaced as he thought of a certain waterbender while reading the word. "Temptation…"

The pit of his stomach opened up beneath him as he felt his legs go numb. A strange panic seized him as another thought popped into his head. Aang glared at Agnis. "Wait, so if I fail any of the trials-"

"You won't fail. You must succeed in order to get your body back. This is a tradition that many Avatars have faced, but you're case is very unique. Any path that detracts from the main course of this procedure would produce dire consequences…"

The airbender grimaced as the red dragon stared at him challengingly. _You can't back out now. Not if you want to be free…_

Aang stared at the dragon with courage, his eyes filling with grim determination. "Fine. When does the first one start?"

Agnis whispered softly behind him. "Right about…now."

The dragon touched Aang on the forehead, causing the young airbender to black out…

* * *

><p><strong>Whew! This one took time!<strong>

**Hope you guys enjoyed the concept I worked in here. I've always wanted to use Yin and Yang in some form or fashion in this, hence the design on Katara's betrothal necklace (and a bunch of other things).**

**I know some of you were expecting the trials to start in this chapter, but I wanted to work in some background info first.**

**Hope you all enjoyed this! Thanks for reading! No preview this time, you guys will probably have to wait until after the trials are over before you get another one…**


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